The Mockingbird
by SnowyNeko
Summary: Through her best friend, Kiyoko has always had a few ties to ghouls. But after her friend goes missing, she's forced to delve deeper into the world of ghouls than ever before. She's faced with a choice: humans or ghouls? Will she give up her humanity for her friend, or will she break under the pressure?
1. The First Crack in the Shell

Originally, this was a one shot I posted. I wrote a Tokyo Ghoul story, wanted to continue with the characters, and wrote this first chapter as an alternate timeline. However, I'm changing that entirely and plan to flush this out into an entire story of its own now. Unlike my other stories, where I leave out physical character descriptions to leave the character free to imagine, I will be adding them in this story. First of all, I already described the appearance of this character in my alternate story. Second, her appearance is influential to the story line. Anyway, I'm exceedingly excited for this story and am eager to share it.

As such, I'm proud to introduce (if you haven't read my previous TG story) Kiyoko Himura!

* * *

Mannequins. Mannequins and masks. Mannequins wearing masks, and masks hanging on the walls, or lying upright in glass display cases. Each and every mask completely differs from its neighbor. Some are blue, scrunched faces of demons, and others mimic animal skulls. Some cover the top half of the face, others only a single side, while more still fit the entire face. There are holes and horns and strange dips molded into face pieces that can only be called artistic expressions.

"I know, a hobby only a mother could support."

I glance over at Hanako, my closest friend and fake cousin. I say fake because we aren't related, our DNA actually differing quite a bit, and she's not on our family register. To put her on there would require a blood test for RC levels.

Her current expression is one of humor, her head shaking. "Wait till you meet the owner," she continues, looking over at me through her curtain of black hair. I used to envy that dark hair of hers. Because of my dad, who abandoned mom when he discovered she was pregnant with me, I have the blonde hair of a westerner. Hanako was always the one to defend me, though, if anyone said anything about my background or appearance. "He's pretty cool, but he's really weird."

"He can't be that bad," I reason. "You tend to judge people too harshly." Although that's true, the shop's atmosphere leads me to believe she might not be exaggerating this time. The dim, red lighting gives a dangerous air to the place. She does have the tendency to look down on people, though.

She raises her hands to cup around her mouth. "Hey! Uta! You here?"

A moment of silence. Then, a pale, young man with black hair swept over to one side steps out of one of the back rooms. The rest of his long hair is pulled back into a messy ponytail. This particular hairstyle perfectly frames the abundance of piercings in his ear, as well as a two more placed on his eyebrow and lip. Tattoos peek out from the rolled back sleeves of his black jacket, and from the low neckline of his shirt. One, consisting of letters of a foreign language, winds around his neck. His build is slender, almost like a shapeless, tall girl. But he is clearly a he, and actually, somehow, attractive. But even with all these striking details, there's only one thing my gaze is drawn towards.

His eyes.

They're a glowing crimson against an inky black backdrop. Anyone else might gawk at such a feature, but I just turn to Hanako.

"You never mentioned that he was a ghoul."

She shrugs. "Wasn't important. He has some pretty wicked skills, though, otherwise I wouldn't bring you here. I doubt he'll mind that you're human."

I tense, turning back to the man. I've been amongst ghouls many times accompanying Hanako, but every time I've worn heavy perfume to mask any human smell I might have. She's always worried my species will be discovered while we're around her kind.

He doesn't say anything, but pats a stool near him. Quiet, I obey his unspoken command and sit myself atop it. Hanako stands to the side watching while he circles me, scrutinizing my face. Uneasy, and honestly feeling a bit violated, I shrink back, but then he reaches out to take my face in his hands. I look to Hanako for encouragement, but she's too busy examining the mask on one of the mannequins. Well, if she's comfortable, there should be no reason for my caution.

"Do you have any allergies to certain materials?" he asks me, fingers massaging my cheekbones.

"No," I respond, doing be best not to move my head too much. "Your name is Uta, right?"

"Yes," he confirms, reaching over and checking something off a piece of paper resting on one of the display cases.

"Do you never hide your eyes? I mean, I'm human, and you've still got them...out."

"I usually tell my human customers they're inked."

"Inked?"

He stops for a moment, meeting my eyes. "I say that I inject them with dye every morning. They believe me." With his nonchalant behavior and decoration choices, I can see why. It makes me wonder if he has any sense of caution in him. He gets back to examining my face. "If you don't want to answer, don't, but why are you getting a mask made?"

"It's my eighteenth birthday next week, and Hanako promised me she'd let me come along when she eats then. She's never let me go with her before."

I wait for him to question why I want to see such a thing, but he simply says, "Happy birthday."

"Thank you."

"Ah, I'm hungry," Hanako whines, taking off a mask she was trying on. "Uta, do you have any snacks? I've been holding myself back to wait for her birthday."

He points to a jar sitting atop one of the mask cases. "Help yourself." I eye her as she glides over, popping off the lid and lifting a round orb from the depths. I don't even flinch when I realize it's an eyeball.

She glances over at me first, making sure I'm not gagging before slurping it into her mouth whole. I've always been curious as to how Hanako eats, so I've done my research. I used to not be able to stand the pictures. I would have nightmares of the mutilated corpses and splattered blood, waking up screaming. Now, though, I've grown accustomed. Maybe some people would feel that they were losing their humanity to be able to look at something like that and not feel anything, but I don't. I'm close enough to someone who isn't human to feel completely human, even if I do vary a bit from the usual. At least I can still eat sweets.

Barely seconds later, the door opens. It's completely silent, but the movement is more than enough to catch our attentions. Uta pays it no mind, while I, on the other hand, stiffen, and Hanako pauses mid chew.

A boy, easily older than either of us by a few years, steps in. His hair is greyish white around the edges, fading into black as it reaches his scalp. I've seen a lot of different dyed styles, but never this one before. I like it. It's kinda cool. Hanako swallows as he glances around at us. His gaze lands on Uta.

"Are you an employee here?" In his hand, he holds what looks to be one of the masks. Black leather seems to be the material it consists of, and it covers an eye and the mouth. Is it his? Is he a ghoul, then?

I look to Hanako for confirmation, but she returns my stare with a look of utter confusion. Her nose, as she always brags, she's trained to be a lot more sensitive than a regular ghoul's. She highly prizes her ability to tell ghouls and humans apart merely by their scent. However, this time she can't seem to puzzle it out.

"Yes," Uta responds simply.

"Well, this was delivered to the wrong house," he explains, holding up the strange mask. Now that I have a better view of it, I can see bolts protruding from the area near the neck. The way it's designed, I get the feeling whoever it was meant for is a monster not to get involved with. Somehow, the mask reminds me of the grim reaper. It's like death itself.

"Is that so?" Uta finally takes notice, straightening and leaving me to sit isolated on the stool. "Are you not Kaneki Ken?"

"I'm not."

"I apologize, then." His black eyes are wide, seemingly in an expression of surprise. It's then that the customer sees his ghoul eyes.

"Your eyes-"

"They're inked," Uta interrupts, pulling down one of his lower eyelids so he can see his eye better. "Don't they look like a ghoul's?"

The boy laughs nervously. "Yeah, they do. About the mask-"

"Keep it, as an apology for troubling you," Uta insists. When the boy tries to refuse, he continues. "I'll make another for the customer who actually ordered it, although I'll have to change the design. I guarantee, the masks I make are one of a kind. They're perfectly suited to their owner."

I may be the only one who catches the implication behind his words. Does he mean that that mask was meant for that boy? He doesn't look that intimidating at all, but if every mask is suited to the wearer...I don't want to know what that boy's hiding.

"Well, thank you, then," the boy reluctantly agrees. Uta returns to writing something down and studying my face again, but for some reason I don't feel as uncomfortable as before. I just wish that boy would leave. Something about him bodes ill.

As he turns to go, his eyes meet Hanako's. "You were eating something when I came in, weren't you?" With that phrase, I realize he's suspicious. He must doubt Uta's excuse of inking. No, he's definitely not normal, is he?

"Chocolate," she lies smoothly. She digs her hand into her pocket. "I've got some more if you want...ah, nevermind. That was the last one, sorry." She shrugs, casually apologetic. I've seen her put on this act countless times since she moved in with me and mom. When we were young her dad got caught by ghoul investigators, doves as she calls them, so I urged her to move in with us. To be honest, I wasn't really thinking about how she might be suffering over her dad's death. I was just terrified that she'd leave my side. Mom was pretty shocked to learn about her being a ghoul, but hid her nonetheless. We moved, she changed back to her actual name instead of an alias, and she's been living in our house ever since. She can't go to school with me, but sometimes she comes to pick me up. Usually, she's a straight forward person. She says what she thinks, does what she feels like doing. I've always admired that about her. But, when it comes to anything related to ghouls, she scares me sometimes. It's not that she eats other humans. Oddly enough, I was never really concerned about that. It's just that she feels like a stranger when she lies so blatantly.

"It's fine," he assures her. "I was just curious." He leaves without another word, scrutinizing his mask as he goes. Uta finally finishes touching my face and scribbles the final few words down, but I can still feel his fingers. The ghosting sensation causes me to frown.

"You're an interesting ghoul," I note passively. "Aren't you worried about me, a human, knowing you're a ghoul? And why'd you give that guy a mask when he didn't order one?"

He glances up at me, setting the paper aside. "You don't care that I'm a ghoul, so I don't care that you are human. And Kaneki did order a mask a while ago, but he forgot about it. It's rightfully his since he's already paid for it."

"Is that so…" I mumble. That guy, Kaneki, seemed pretty sure it wasn't his property. Exactly how long ago did he order it? Does it really take him so long to mold a mask that the client forgets about it? Hanako got one, but she never told me how long it took. "Will you have my mask ready when I need it?"

"It'll be ready in four days. Would you rather come pick it up or have it delivered?"

Wait a minute, didn't that guy specifically say he _wasn't_ Kaneki? Kaneki was supposed to be the recipient of the mask, but the boy said… I shouldn't concern myself with it. Whatever's going on, Uta apparently has it under control. Still, though...

Hanako answers for me before I can break away from my drifting thoughts. "We'll come back here. Noriko doesn't need to know I'm taking her daughter to witness a ghoul's dinner. I'll pay you when the work is done, agreed?"

"That will be fine," he concedes.

"What is my mask going to look like?" I wonder, sliding off the stool. "I mean, I'm seeing a lot of demon faces, and the mask that boy had was like a grim reaper frankenstein, and Hanako's kind of looks like a cat. What about mine?"

He takes his time to answer, tilting his head in consideration. "Maybe a mockingbird."

A mockingbird? Interesting. Perhaps he's choosing that because I associate with ghouls. I live in the ghoul world even though I am human. I mock the ghouls' tone, the same way a mockingbird steals the songs of others. Unless that connection is something that's just coincidence, he really does put a lot of thought into his art.

Hanako bursts into laughter. "A cat and a bird? How suiting!"

Realizing the predator prey relationship, I also crack a grin. Yeah, this guy was definitely the right person to go to. I can't wait to see what kind of mask he makes for me.

"Oh!" She suddenly stops, checking her watch. "There's only a few hours left until the cafe closes! If we bring in our previous check today, we can get a free coffee!"

"You don't even like coffee," I point out for the zillionth time.

"Yeah, but it's the only thing we can drink together." That's always her reason. Even though she detests the bitterness of coffee beans, she obsesses over the fact that it's common ground between us. Sure, she looks down on and condescends humans, but I think that she kind of wishes she were one. She suffocates that fantasy of hers. We settle for simply drinking the one drink that we both can stomach together.

"We're off, then." I raise my hand in a half wave, to which Uta nods in response. Hanako holds open the door, her expression not even trying to hide her impatience as I purposely trudge towards the door dragging my feet. The moment I'm within reach, she grabs my wrist and yanks me along.

I'm unable to contain my laughter as she glares at me. I hope this never changes. With all my heart, I hope she's never caught by the doves, and never has to leave me behind. Is that too much to hope for? All I want is my one and only best friend to stay by my side.

Even if she _is_ a ghoul.

* * *

I'm not really being subtle about the mockingbird significance, am I? Well, I didn't really feel the need to be. I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! I've honestly had this out for awhile, since it was originally a one shot, but I did correct a few grammar errors and wording issues. I hope I caught them all. Anyway, what did you think? Thoughts about Kiyoko? Hanako? If anyone has read my first TG fanfiction, what're your thoughts? Keep in mind this is an alternate timeline, so of course Hanako's going to be a little different. Different things happened to her. And obviously, Kiyoko's pretty different as well. If you can stomach it, I'd like to recommend anyone who hasn't read my story Scarlet Child to go ahead and read it. I think you'll enjoy it, and that it'll add enjoyment to this story. Anyway, I can't wait to hear your first impressions!

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	2. Birth of the Mockingbird

Normally I wait a few days before posting the next chapter, but since I already had the chapter before this posted, I decided I wanted to go ahead and post something new along with its revival. So here's chapter two! It's a little short, I'm afraid, but I don't think it'll fail to interest you. If you can't tell, I'm pretty proud about this story. I think this one'll be good, and by good, I mean one of my best. I've been writing like a madwoman these past few days because I'm so excited over it! I might be a little too excited... Is that even possible? If it, that's what I am. But whatever! As long as it produces good results!

* * *

"No thanks, I've already got plans," I wave off the offer, sliding my books into my bag.

Yui leans over my desk, groaning. "Come ooon! It's our senior year! You've blown us off every year on your birthday until now to hang out with that chick that waits for you at the gate! You _have_ to hang out with us this year! That girl can even come, too!"

"I told you," I sigh, "her name is Hanako."

"Doesn't matter," she grumbles, pushing her short chocolate hair behind her ear. "I'll throw the party of the century, so just come over!"

Slinging my backpack over my shoulder, I reject her one last time. "I appreciate the effort, Yui, really. Hanako's got a present for me this year, though. She's taking me somewhere."

"Where?"

"It's a secret," I wink.

"Hey, Kiyoko." I turn to Mami, who's pointing out the window. "Your cousin's back."

Sure enough, a glance out the window reveals a short girl with long, black hair leaning against the gates. Yui pouts as I say goodbye and hurry out. I rush to my locker, throwing my slippers in and trading them for shoes. In my haste, I drop a shoe. As I bend down to pick it up, whispers reach my ears.

"...that girl again. She says they're cousins, but do you really think so? What if she's, you know, lez?" Slowly, I slip my foot into the empty shoe and straighten.

"I would believe it. Her mom played around, so why wouldn't she?"

"What if they really are cousins, and they're still like that?"

"Excuse me," I clear my throat, glaring over to the trio of girls lingering at the end of the lockers. Their mouths snap shut, caught. "If you feel like gossiping, next time you should do it out of earshot of whoever you're talking about."

"If you heard us," one pipes up, "why don't you answer it. Are we right?"

I smile. "Not at all." A buzzing brings my hand to my pocket, my fingers curling around my phone and dragging it out. A message from Hanako glows on the screen.

 _Ur taking too long_

"See you tomorrow!" I nod to the gossipers, slamming my locker and dashing outside. At the entrance, Hanako's been approached by a handsome boy with glasses. I think...Hiro, from the next class over.

As soon as she spots me, though, she immediately forgets about him. "Took you long enough! We've got to get to the shop! Uta finished it!"

"What's the rush? It looks like you're finally making friends."

She eyes Hiro, who politely greets me. "He just came up and started speaking to me. I'd hardly call him a friend. Let's go already! If you don't hurry, I'm backing out of the deal!"

"Yes, yes. Sorry about her behavior, Hiro."

"No, it's alright-" But we're already walking away. I jab my friend in the ribs, knowing it won't hurt her.

"How many times must I tell you to be nicer to people?"

"Why? What does it matter if they like me?" she shrugs. "Besides, they're rarely nice to you."

I frown. "That's passed and you know it. I've made friends now, and people usually don't pick on me anymore."

"But they still do, don't they?"

"It's no big deal," I insist.

"It is!" she growls, literally baring her teeth. I jab her again in the side and this time she jabs me back. "Why do you let them talk about you? You said you'd be fine even without me at school!"

"And I am. I promise, it's not so bad." I glance over to her when she doesn't respond, the hard look in her eyes ensuring me that she's plotting again. I sigh. "Do _not_ go beating people up again."

"Ki-"

"If you do it too much, people will start making the connection to the ghoul who protected me in elementary school." She scowls, knowing I'm right. Having arrived at a bustling street, we stop, and I raise my hand to hail a taxi. She refuses to shape up, though, even when we've climbed in the car and I've given the guy the address. Seeing this, I slide the door shut between us and the driver. "You've been irritable lately, Hanako."

"Well, excuse me," she rolls her eyes.

I lean against the window, eyeballing her out of the corner of my eye.. "Spill it. What's up?"

"Do I really have to put it into words?"

Of course, she means my birthday present. "I'm not going to run away screaming bloody murder."

"It just seems like a disturbing way to celebrate," she mutters, shifting and crossing her arms uncomfortably. "You really wanna watch?"

"Yes." I meet her gaze firmly. We share a stare for a few solid minutes before she breaks eye contact, dragging her phone from her pocket and fiddling with it. Before she can grow too absorbed in it, I ask, "Did you tell Mom we'd be home late?"

"She said she'd keep your dinner warm."

"Did she tell you what she's making?"

Hanako shrugs. "Didn't ask."

"Despite you knowing I'd want to know," I grin. This earns me a small smile out of her, although she tries to hide it.

"We're here," she changes the topic, resting her finger against her window to point to the shop growing closer. She climbs out of the car while I pay the driver, thanking him. Then I follow after her through the door she left wide open.

The outside of the mask shop, contrast to the interior, is about as unnotable as a shop can be. A dull building, neither kept in shape nor falling apart at the seams, with only a simple sign notifying the world that whatever's inside is open.

We enter, the crimson lighting engulfing us. Again, the shop is empty save for the mannequins and masks that litter the room. This time, though, Uta emerges from the back before we can call him.

"You've come for the mask," he states, lifting a red and gold wrapped gift. When I take it out of his hands he says, "Your birthday present. I'll give it to you half off."

Hanako rolls her eyes, offering him the cash. "We appreciate it." Then she hops up on a stool, legs crossed. "So, let's see it."

I glance to Uta for permission, but he just watches silently with patient black and red eyes. I decide to take that as a go ahead and begin ripping into the paper. Unable to tear it all in one go, I regrettably shred the wrapping paper into strips that fall to the floor. The box inside is plain white.

After a second of hesitation, I pry it open. What stares back at me is a bird. Well, sort of. It's flat, curved only to fit my face, with black ovals over the eyes. The nosepiece is colored dull gold, as if to mimic a beak, and the rest is streaked with black, white, and silverish grey to imitate feathers. I lift it from its box, turning it over carefully to study it from every angle. Hanako whistles and breaks my awed silence.

"Cool," she grins.

I look to Uta. "It really is pretty awesome."

"I'm glad you like it," he nods, leaning against his glass display case. "Does it fit?"

Turning my attention back to the mask, I search it for a string, or strap of some sort to hold it onto my face. When I find nothing, I blush, feeling just a tiny bit stupid. Hanako's mask didn't have anything like that, so why would mine? It just fit her face so well it stayed put.

So I slip it on.

Indeed, it conforms to every crevice of my face to comfortably cover it. My cheeks it leaves bare, spiking down only around the corners of my mouth. My vision remains clear, only slightly darkened, despite how pitch black the eyes had appeared from the other side.

Uta slips a mirror into my hand and I take a peek. What I see reflected, I can barely recognize as myself.

"Wow," I breathe, tilting my head and studying it from every angle. "This is amazing! You really made this just using the information you got when we met that one time?"

"Of course, it's my job." I stiffen when he grabs my chin, forcefully examining my face. After a second, he releases me. "Seems like it fits well. Do you have any complaints?"

"No."

"And you, Hanako?" He searches my companion for approval, apparently knowing she's the one to please and not me. She hops up from her seat, coming to stand a foot in front of me. My skin prickles when I see the unexpectedly grim expression she wears.

"If it only hid her hair, too," she mumbles in a low voice I'm not sure I was meant to hear. "Yes, this'll work. You like it, don't you?"

"Yeah."

"Then we're good!" I blink when, all of a sudden, she's smiling at Uta. After all these years, I'm still unable to predict her. I've also been unable to get used to her acting skills. I can't tell if the seriousness from before was fake, or if the fake expression is the smile she now shows. It makes me uneasy.

We give our farewells to Uta and leave, the mask going back in the box and lid replaced over it. Once again, we hail a taxi cab and start on our way home.

"By the way," Hanako mentions as we delve into traffic, "I'm pretty sure I smelled omelet rice before I left the house."

I immediately perk up. "Really?" Then I think for a moment. "Wait, do we have any ketchup? Should we stop by the store first?"

Hanako laughs. "I'm sure your mom's got it covered."

"But I think we ran out the last time we had fries."

"Maybe she ran to the store while we were out."

"But isn't that a waste of money? We can't afford to constantly have all the condiments," I worry. "How much did we spend on the mask?"

She flicks my arm and I wince. "Stop thinking like that. I used my own money to buy you that, so think of it as an extension of your birthday present given a little early."

"When are you going to tell me what you're doing to get that money?" I question, rubbing the spot she flicked. She falls silent. I already know it's something unsavory. Some jobs require RC tests these days, and if she were to find out there was one after already being accepted, she'd have to fabricate some reason to back out. Or quit. Either way, it might raise suspicions towards her, and being discovered remains one of her worst nightmares. She just doesn't have the resources to fake and RC test like most highly-functioning ghouls.

Although we continue to talk the rest of the ride home, nothing of true importance slips out of our lips. And I was right to worry. We ate omelet rice that night without any ketchup.

* * *

I want to try Omelet rice. Anyone else? It sounds delicious. That might be why I put it in. Ah! My mind is just flying right now! I'm totally on a writing high! I need to go get a mug of warm tea or something and calm down. Yeah, I should do that. I'll go do that after I post this. But I even have relaxing music playing right now, and that's not helping. Maybe it is, though, and that's the reason I'm able to sit down and type rather than bouncing off the walls. I didn't really have any caffeine today, either...just a brownie. That can't be enough to get this result, can it? BAH! Well, anyhow, I sincerely hope with all my heart that you liked this chapter and will continue to enjoy the story to come. I will do my best!

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	3. Prelude

Yo, what's up? So this chapter is a bit short, but that's because I split it and the next two chapters up. I could have written them all together, but that would have been a _lot_ for me to edit in one go, and just as much for you to read. Some people might think that's a good thing, but I personally get antsy when I post a chapter that breaks the 3,000 words mark, and if I'd combined the chapters they would have been well over. They're good chapters, though, in my opinion, and each has a slightly different feel to it. I think you'll enjoy it, but that's for you to decide.

Without farther ado, onto the story!

* * *

I ask for permission for us to leave while I wash my bowl. "We'll be back before midnight."

"Just get home safe," Mom says, kissing my cheek. "Don't get yourselves into any trouble."

"No worries, Noriko," Hanako promises. "I'll make sure nothing happens to her."

She smiles at my friend. "I trust you will, but keep yourself safe as well. We can't have you getting caught by any doves, now, can we?"

"Of course."

I finish drying my bowl and return mom's kiss while I set it down. "We're off, then! Dinner was delicious!"

"I'm saying goodbye to dad before we go," Hanako stalls, slipping into the nextdoor room. I follow her, leaning against the doorway and watching as she kneels at her father's shrine. On it, there's a photograph of my mom and a man with rich black hair who bears a heavy resemblance to the girl kneeling before him now. It's the only picture we have of him. After her ghoul blood was discovered at our elementary school, we had briefly dropped by her apartment. That was the last time either of us ever went there, and we weren't even able to go inside.

Because of attention from the Ghoul Investigators, we weren't able to set up the shrine for the first month. Hanako was barely able to relax that first month, with her father dead, her original home under scrutinization, and doves flitting in and out of this house. When it all finally settled down and we took her in, the first thing we did was erect the shrine. She never thanked us for it, but she's never been someone to be open with gratitude. Although she kept up a mask of being fine, I would wake up to her crying at night. She'd spend hours sitting with the shrine when she thought mom and I were asleep.

As sad as it made me to see her like that, it scares me more now that I never see her cry anymore. Never once, in all these years. Not since the first year after it happened. Someone else might think she's come to accept it, but I don't feel like she has quite yet. I feel like the day still haunts her.

If I hadn't been there for her back then, I can't imagine what would've become of her. I don't want to think about it.

"You got everything?" she suddenly asks, pushing back to her feet.

"Yep." There's nothing to bring except my mask, which I carry under my vest. She probably also plans to carry her mask under her clothes. Either that, or she has the mask stashed outside the house. I've only ever seen it two or three times, so I find it hard to believe she keeps it hidden somewhere in this tiny apartment.

She nods, coming to join me where I stand. Under her breath, she confirms, "You're wearing stuff you can get blood on, right?"

I nod, and we leave. To my surprise, she takes me to the cafe we go to every week. She approaches the man behind the counter, sliding into a seat. "How're you doing, Yomo? Is Touka in the back?"

The hulking man glances to me and I meet his eye. I'd be uneasy, if I hadn't been drinking his coffee since the shop opened a couple years back.

"She's here. This is the first time you've brought someone to visit."

She flippantly waves her hand in my direction. "Kiyoko, this is Yomo. I don't think I've ever introduced the two of you before."

"So she's the one you've told us about," he notes, wiping out a cup.

"Pay attention a little," Hanako huffs. "She's the one I always drink coffee with!"

"She does look a bit familiar."

"Ugh! Forget it! I'm going back to see her, alright?"

"Don't make a mess," he waves us off towards a door to the back. I follow Hanako into the hidden part of the cafe I've yet to see. She doesn't even call for the waitress she'd claimed to be looking for, heading straight for a wall safe and turning the dial lock. When it opens, I gasp at the piles of money.

"Tell me this isn't where you've been getting your money from!"

She rolls her eyes. "Relax, I don't steal it or anything. I do work for it. That's not what we're here for, though." She slips a bobby pin from her hair, reaching deep inside and sticking it into a corner. Prying, the back begins to lift, and she uses her nail to peel it back farther. What's revealed is a slim compartment from which she removes a disk-like object. Done, she flattens the fake back back into place and shuts the safe.

The mask in her hand is entirely black, save for silver eyes and whiskers painted on. On each side of the forehead, it points up to imitate cat ears. It leaves open her mouth, like my mask, but unlike my mask it also opens up for her nose.

"From now on," she snaps me from my thoughts, "we'll hide your mask here, too, when you aren't using it."

"Shouldn't you ask before deciding that?" a familiar voice inquires, drawing my eyes to the purple haired waitress. She nods a hello to me before returning her attention to Hanako.

"We can, can't we?" my friend requests innocently.

Touka shakes her head, exasperated, but used to Hanako's behavior by now. "Yes, you're free to do it." Then to me she asks, "Did something happen that made it unable to keep your mask at home?"

"Um, no, but this is my first time having a mask, so it might be better to keep it with hers," I shrug.

"Your first mask?" She raises a brow. "You mean you've been eating without one until now? Are you sure the doves haven't seen your face before?"

Ah, right. I forgot that she thinks I'm a ghoul, too. "They're under the impression that I'm human."

She's silent for a while, before she closes her eyes. "Be more careful, alright? I know how cautious Hanako is, but I worry about you, sometimes, Kiyoko. You know what happened to Hanako, right? Don't let that happen to you, too."

Hanako slaps her shoulder, smiling. "Don't be so pessimistic! Come on, Kiyoko, we've got places to be!"

"Thank you for the help," I thank as I pass Touka.

"Anytime. When you're done, I'd be glad to serve you some coffee."

As much as I'd love to take her up on her offer, I don't like having caffeine so late at night. I can't really use that as an excuse, though, because I'm pretty sure caffeine doesn't have the same effect on ghouls.

Exiting through the cafe's backdoor, we slip into the darkened alleyways of the city. We come to stop in an isolated dead end. After glancing around for any watching eyes, Hanako turns back to me. "Discard your vest and pull back your hair. The more different a ghoul looks when they're eating, the better. It makes us harder to recognize if someone chances to see us."

I obey, stashing my vest carefully folded in a dry spot under a dumpster. If the stench decides to stick to it, I can just wash it tomorrow. That leaves me in jeans and a long-sleeved striped tee, my mask in my hand.

Hanako clicks her tongue. "Next time, choose and outfit less conspicuous. No patterns, and be sure you can cover your entire shirt with whatever jacket or coat you bring."

"You didn't bring anything to put on over your own clothes," I point out.

"This isn't my first time," she shoots back. "I won't make a mistake, but you could easily."

"Nice to know you trust me."

I go to put on my mask, but she stops me with a hand on my arm. "Not until we've silenced the prey. If we went around wearing the masks, no sane human would ever come close to us."

"Okay." I lower the mask. "Then where should I keep it? Surely I can't just carry it everywhere."

"Bra," she says simply. I watch as she reaches behind herself, slipping her cat-mask down the back of her shirt and securing it. I copy her, inserting my bird-mask snugly between my bra and skin. They might cause a slight bump under our shirts, but our long hair should be plenty to hide that in this dimness.

"Now I understand why you insist on wearing a bra when you have no rack."

"Shut up!" she hisses, eyes momentarily sinking into black and red. "It's not like you're much better!"

"So," I ignore her quip, "how does this hunting thing work?"

She crosses her arms, all playfulness from a few seconds ago drained away. "It's simple, really. We lure a chosen prey away from any people and pounce."

"Well, I would assume as much, but how?"

She smirks. "Just pretend you're a prostitute, and you're set." My heart sinks. Seriously? She's been doing that? Even if she isn't actually selling herself, that's….unsettling. So wait, does that mean I'll be doing that, too? With her? "If it makes you uncomfortable, I could always bring you home."

"After you've finally let me tag along? Not likely." Although I say that, my mouth has gone dry. I've seen pictures of ghoul meal sites online before, pictures of the bodies torn up, but will I really be alright seeing all that in real life? Pictures don't include the sounds of bones snapping, and the iron smell of blood, but those are bound to be wherever Hanako takes me tonight. Am I prepared for that?

But this is Hanako. This is my best friend. After all we've done for each other, after how much we've relied on one another to get through the hardest times in our lives, is it really right for me to go on ignorant as to how she survives? I've known her to be ghoul since we were eight, but have I really understood what that means?

Her eyes roam over me, skeptical. However, she breaks her gaze away to look down the path we came from. "If you're ready…."

"I am."

She meets my eyes again and sighs. "Fine. Just don't blame me for anything, _anything_ , that happens tonight. You asked for it, and I tried to stop you, but in the end I gave in to _your_ request. If you become scarred for life, it's your own responsibility." She pauses in case I have something to say, in case I decide to back out. I remain silent. When she deems me too stubborn to back down, only two more words come out of her mouth.

"Let's go."

* * *

And it begins! If it wasn't clear, the two of them have been in contact with Touka for awhile. Obviously, Hanako more so. So, I'm curious. What do you guys think so far? No one's said anything yet, and that makes me a bit nervous. Maybe it's too soon for me to ask, though. Sometimes time is needed to form a flushed out opinion, right? Anyhow, I myself am actually quite fond of Kiyoko's mom. Imagine how hard it's been for her, raising both her own child and an orphaned ghoul child all on her own. She may not get a lot of time dedicated to her, but I still think she's pretty admirable. When I look at their home life, it's a pretty unique dynamic. I didn't mean for it to turn out like that, but somehow it happened naturally. Well, I'm hungry. I gotta go eat so I can fuel ideas for the story!

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	4. The Feast

So recently, I've had a bit of an obsession with figure skating. No, it's not only because of Yuri on Ice, but that anime certainly helped. I'd always had a vague interest in the sport. Before the obsession started to grow, when I was asked in class about my favorite Olympic sport, I was the only one to say ice skating. And then I just happened across some figure skating competitions on TV, and I got hooked. Strangely enough, it's really only the men's figure skating that seems to move me. I'm particularly fond of Yuzuru Hanyu. I could go on and on about what I love about him, but that would warrant an entire chapter unto itself. Anyhow, I dreamt about skating with him last night, and now I'm considering taking up the sport. I'm worried about how it might go, though, since I have no stamina and hate wearing myself out. Frankly, I've always hated physical activity. But if it's for figure skating...maybe I could do it.

Enough about ice skating. Onto the story!

* * *

It's obvious she knows where she's going as she leads me between buildings. When we eventually emerge, the atmosphere of the town has completely done a one-eighty. Whereas the feel at the cafe had been warm, comforting, I suddenly feel thrust into a thick tar. It's suffocating.

The streets, instead of being filled with bustling people, are littered with dregs of society. Druggies obviously high float about with no aim, dealers gladly accepting both their money and the money of a man who seems to be trying to hide his higher social status. Leaning on doorways are chicks done up, with skirts too short and cigarettes transferring between their fingers and blood red lips. A couple of them call out invitingly to the one semi-well dressed man on the street.

"Where is this?" I wonder, unable to place where exactly she's taken me. I've never been to this part of town before. I almost can't help but wonder if we're even in the same city.

"A hunting ground," she informs me casually, tugging the neckline of her shirt a bit lower. "It's just that ghouls aren't the only ones who use it."

"I see."

She meets my gaze, reading the clear displeasure on my face. "You gotta do it, too, little miss pure. If you don't look like you came searching for some action, you won't get any takers."

When I don't react, she rolls her eyes and undoes my hair. Immediately, I grab at her hands. "Hey! You were the one who told me to put it up in the first place!"

"Shut up, or you'll draw attention." She redoes my ponytail, placing it much higher on the back of my head and grabbing a bottle of gloss out of her pocket. As she dabs it on my lips, she mutters, "Makeup, the disguise of a hungry ghoul."

She tugs down the neckline of my shirt, too, before apparently finishing with me and moving onto herself. When she's done applying the makeup, she pops her lips. "Alright. You can act well, can't you? Don't answer that. I wouldn't have brought you if you couldn't. Here's the script. We're looking for money, and what we're offering is a threesome. Be sexy, be alluring, and act _willing._ Look like you _want_ him. This isn't an option. Do it."

I gulp. "Understood."

She turns and begins approaching the well off man without warning, causing me to stumble to follow. Without hesitation, she slips her arm around his. "Why don't you keep my friend and me company, instead of those loose whores?" Her eyes flicker to the older women. "You'd rather devour something fresh and high grade, wouldn't you?"

"I didn't come for that." Clearly not. It's drugs he just stuffed into his pocket, not condoms, but he doesn't really hide the fact that he's ogling. Hanako squeezes his arm tighter to her, sending me a look. Disgusted with myself, I join in the act.

"Let's play?" I ask, laying a hand on his chest. What the hell am I saying? "I promise you, we're quite skilled."

"I...didn't bring the money for that."

"Aw, don't you know it's better to carry extra on you?" Hanako pouts. She reaches a hand down, clasping his hand in hers. "Hm. I'm usually really stubborn, but if my friend agrees, we could give you a discount. We really need the cash. Anything will do, even just a few hundred, but the service you'll get will be way better than anything those old hags can give you."

"I'm fine with it, so long as it's good." My stomach twists as I speak, sickened. Even if I'm not actually going to sell myself, it's gross. Sticky, like a bathroom floor that hasn't been cleaned in years. And Hanako does this monthly? I bite my lip and gaze up at the man from beneath my eyelashes. "Please?"

He glances between the two of us. "I only have a few hundred yen on me."

"We'll take it!" Hanako grins. "Come on, let's go find somewhere we won't be disturbed." She begins to drag him away and I trail them closely, the whores shouting after us that the guy is welcome to stop by anytime.

"Here's fine," the guy stops after we've only rounded two corners. "Can you two do it standing?"

"Of course!" Hanako smiles, standing on her toes to get closer to his face. She stops before their lips touch, though. "But my friend here moans pretty loudly. We might want to get a little farther."

"I don't care if they hear," he refuses. "They already know what we're doing, anyway."

Hanako appears to consider it for a minute. "Fine. I hope you like aggressive girls."

He grins and my blood turns to ice. "They're sexy."

"Good. Come help me hold him." She waves me over. Obedient, I press myself against the man and push him hard against the wall. I've never even had a boyfriend before, and yet look at me. Hanako holds down his other side, nuzzling his neck with her nose.

"Thank you for the meal."

I've barely registered the change in her eye color before she's sank her teeth deep into the man's jugular. What was meant to be a scream gurgles as blood fills his windpipe. Hanako swallows the bite of flesh in her mouth before ripping the man away from me and tossing him onto the ground. Although free from his restraints, the man is clearly unable to rise to his feet to run, or even to his knees to crawl. I gasp when a thick, dark red tail snakes out from Hanako's back and pierces the man through his chest.

And then everything stands still, me gaping at the scene and Hanako staring down at the man with her kagune glowing beside her. The only thing that seems to move is the pool of crimson that gradually grows larger.

"Your mask."

I move mechanically, reaching back and plastering the mockingbird face over mine. As I do so, she puts on her own mask.

I blink, shocked by what stands before me. With her kagune throbbing with red light and the costume of a black cat, she hardly appears to be the friend I grew up with. "So this is what a ghoul is."

"You haven't seen what it is to be ghoul until you've seen one eat," she corrects me. She kneels by the body, careful to keep her knees out of the blood. "So, watch."

Her fingers, so small and fragile looking, dig mercilessly into the man's arm as she rips out her second piece. It drips between her fingers before squishing into her mouth. Then she forgoes her hands altogether and leans over the body. Her hair dangles around her face, but bobby pins allow me full view as she sinks her teeth into the body a second time. It's like a wolf digging into it's fresh kill, no restraint and no concern for the life taken, the only thought on its mind filling its stomach. But it's Hanako. An animal, a ghoul, but a _person_. _That_ is what makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.

Neither of us talks, the only sound being the sound of her eating. She consumes everything. First the arm, bones and all, then the other, and then the head. When she's halfway through the head, she begins speaking.

"Hunts don't always go so easy," she explains, moving the hair of the corpse aside to get a better bite. "Sometimes I have to settle for a prey with alcohol in their blood, or one of those disease riddled whores. Never the druggies, though. I don't want any of that inside of me. I got lucky there was someone like him tonight. The only downside is that his death will get more attention, since he was an active member of society. But, well, it was his choice to get involved with the underworld. If he'd just stayed a good boy, the odds of him becoming a ghoul's meal would have been a lot less." She slurps the eyeball out of its socket. "He's one of the best meals I've had in awhile, though.

"And I don't always hunt here, either, in case you were wondering. Even the most idiotic prey learn pretty quickly to avoid a spot where their species keeps getting eaten. Some ghouls do stay in one spot for an extended period of time, but they usually end up getting discovered and have to move out pretty urgently. I know of a few who had that happen to them. That spot right there is a good one, but only if you don't care about the quality of the meal. Again I'll say it was damn good luck for me for him to have been there."

She bites through the last bit of skull with a crackling crunch before she finally sits back. "Of course, there are some other ways to get food. There're ghouls who only eat those who are already dead, but some of us have a tough time transitioning from live prey to long dead ones. I'm one of those. I do get some free corpse meat along with my payment for helping Yomo collect dead bodies, but I don't eat much. Just enough to tide me over until my next monthly feeding. The taste just isn't right if the kill is old." She pauses for a moment, licking a bit of blood from her finger. "It never tastes the way dad used to prepare it.

"As for moral implications, you could say I don't have a very strong set of those. It would be torture to, as a ghoul. I'm sure some gouge themselves out over their killing humans, but that can't be considered living. I'm sure they'd think their being born a curse. They would probably hate themselves. They'd loathe themselves, despise their very existence, yet keep on living because they're afraid to die. They wouldn't be anything but a corpse themselves.

"So, what do you think? This is what I am." It takes me a moment to realize she's finished. Even when I realize it, though, words can't seem to form in my mouth. What….am I supposed to say? How does one respond to something like that? I really wasn't prepared to see this. She returns to her meal, once again only the consumption of flesh filling the quiet. My mind tries its best to rush and figure out something to say, but it's like a thick mud, trudging along no matter how fast I race to think.

"U-um…," my mouth finally produces a sound, "does it...really taste good?"

She stops, meeting my eyes. At least, I think she does. It's difficult to tell with the mask over her face. "It wouldn't to a human, but yes. To me, it's a world more appetizing than anything you eat."

"What about coffee?"

For a moment, she doesn't respond. Then, she laughs, her bloodstained lips forming an innocent smile. "I _love_ coffee! It's disgustingly bitter, but think about it! With that one drink, we taste the _same thing_! Isn't that amazing for two creatures with such different tastebuds?"

Finally understanding the full reason of why she drinks the dark liquid despite hating the taste, a smile creeps onto my face, too. "After this, let's take up Touka's offer for coffee."

"Definitely," she agrees, wiping her mouth and sitting back. Then her face goes dark. "Mockingbird, run."

"Wha-"

Before the question can even come out of my mouth, I'm thrust backwards by the shock of two pulsing red kagunes clashing against each other. Hanako whirls to face the aggressor, snarling.

Out from the shadows steps a vaguely familiar figure in a long, white coat and a suitcase in his hand. I flinch at the sight when I piece together who it is.

"Surrender, and you'll be taken into custody without injury."

"What are you, a cop?" Hanako growls. "As if I'd willingly go along to be killed!" She flexes her kagune, coiled to pounce at a moment's notice. Then, again to me, she hisses,

"Run!"

* * *

I kind of have to laugh at myself. I mean, look at the intro note I wrote and then look at the chapter under it. I think the mood change between the two is a little drastic, if you know what I mean. Sometimes my own preferences shock me. I hope my flips in mood don't bother you. It'd be best if I could actually use that to my advantage to write something unique, but figuring out how to wield my own emotions is still an art I'm working hard on. ...Ah, I want to talk more about ice skating! But I shouldn't! I know I should talk about the story, but figure skating is just too tempting! I'll stop here and let my mind recover from this temporary episode.

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	5. Human Blood

So I've been thinking about what anime I should watch next. I'd prefer something fairly new, so I'm considering Drifters, or the one with the genius little girl in an army (although that one's still airing), or maybe I'll go rewatch Kill la Kill. I don't care what anyone says about the fan service. That anime is a work of art, and anyone who hasn't watched it because of the skanky outfits, excuse my tone: GET OVER IT! You won't regret watching it! The thing is, I don't watch anime as much as I used to, because I've gotten really picky with the storylines. As an author myself, I pay attention to _every, little detail_ in the stories. Basically, I find it difficult to watch an anime purely for mindless enjoyment. So...any suggestions as to what I should watch?

Back to the fanfiction.

* * *

I don't run. My feet remain planted where I stand even as she lunges at the dove, for reasons I can't quite put together coherently right now. Whatever my reasons for staying, I'm quickly mesmerized by the glow of colliding kagunes. The ghoul investigator seems to have in his suitcase a kagune of his own, which he controls beautifully as if an extension of himself. At least, I would say so if not for the ghoul in front of me that actually has one as a part of her. Although they each vie for an advantage, the ease with which Hanako manipulates her crimson tail clearly surpasses the human's control over his kagune.

Absently, I wonder when she ever found the time to train like this. I've never seen her get into any trouble other than the trouble she'd get into for me, and even then, she only ever brought out her kagune the once. After the consequences that came with that, she's been stubbornly hiding her tail away from me. Even so, she dodges and attacks like it comes naturally to her. Maybe it does. I'm not a ghoul, so how would I know?

I feel a pang in my chest at the thought. Isn't that what I'm trying to make up for by coming out here to see this? Can't I learn to understand, even if I'm not a ghoul?

"I don't want to hurt you!" The young ghoul investigator we first met at the mask shop keeps insisting his harmlessness, despite his being on the attack.

"You're sick!" Hanako laughs, leaping back to catch her breath. "Real sick, you know that?"

He attacks again before she can rest long enough. "If I call someone in, I can't guarantee your safety."

"If we're talking jokes, I've got one," Hanako offers. "Why don't you let us go and we all pretend nothing happened?"

"Quinx squad, I've located two ghouls, does anybody copy?" He presses a hand to his ear, guarding against Hanako with his suitcase weapon. "Behind the brothel."

I back against a wall to avoid the dove's kagune that flails in my direction after being knocked aside by Hanako. Reinforcements? Can Hanako handle that? Maybe we should run. Surely ghouls don't always fight when confronted. Surely some flee.

As if reading my mind, Hanako begins to back off. "Mockingbird, I'll come with you, so just _go!_ "

If she's coming…. I take a step and locate the nearest exit. When I begin to dash towards it, though, I slip on the pooled blood. Before I can fall, an arm catches me. Then I'm thrown roughly into the wall and pinned there, another glowing kagune pointed directly at my face. Gasping from the pain that sprouts in my back, I peek at the person attached to the kagune. The owner of it is a boy around my age, with dark hair and a dark expression. A ghoul?

"Weak," he sneers. Then to Hanako, he calls, "If you don't want you companion to die a long, painful death, you'll be good and get killed!"

"Urie!" The tone of the dove is scolding.

"Don't tell me to be nice to ghouls again," he bites.

I blink. "Aren't you a ghoul?"

"No!" He presses me harder against the wall and my heart begins to race in both confusion and fear. My back aches. I'm going to have a nice, large bruise all over tomorrow.

"Don't hurt her!" Before my eyes, Hanako falls still, her resistance immediately ceased. "I...I'll go with you, just...let her go!"

"Just die," Urie orders, glancing to the dove.

"Please," Hanako turns to the ghoul investigator we've already met. "She's innocent, I swear. You can...kill me...but let her go first!" Kill her?

"Escape!" The word bursts from my lips without my thinking.

"Shut up, unless you want to die sooner." Urie's gaze turns my blood to ice, his kagune beginning to dig into the skin of my neck. My breath hitches at the pain, but if I don't do anything, she'll die! Because of me! After all she's done for me, how could I do this to her?

"Don't hurt her!" she snarls, blood staining her teeth. Urie just presses harder, and I flinch. Her kagune twitches in response, readying to fight once again. "Hurt her and I'll kill you."

"Try," Urie taunts. "I'd love to see killing the Black Cat on my list of achievements."

"Wait!" The dove shouts, Hanako freezing and Urie glaring. "Before anyone else gets hurt, I have a few questions I want to ask."

"If I answer," Hanako inquires, "will you let her go?"

"I can at the very least guarantee her life," he promises.

"Stop making deals with ghouls!" the ghoul(?) in front of me rages. "We're investigators! Our job is to kill them!"

"Indulge me, Urie. This is an order." A snarl evident on his face, Urie falls silent. "Do you go by Mockingbird?"

The question is for me? "Sure."

"I haven't heard of you before, and the Black Cat has never been reported with anyone. Did you come from a different ward?"

"I come from the same one as her," I reply.

"Which is?"

"Home," is all I say, despite knowing what he's really asking.

"Sasaki, this is pointless," Urie complains.

"One last thing," the dove calms his apparent subordinate. "Black Cat is obviously quite aggressive, but you haven't shown even the slightest signs of fighting back. Why is that?"

"Because I can't."

"Why not?"

"Does it matter?"

"Just let me kill her already!" Urie gripes impatiently.

Sasaki ignores him. "We're ghoul investigators, so we need to know all weaknesses involving ghouls. The more information you offer, the longer our organization will let you live. It's to your benefit to answer, I assure you."

"She's human." All eyes land on Hanako, who stands with her fists clenched at her side. "She can't fight back because she's human. She doesn't have a kagune or the strength to compete with a filthy dove like you."

Urie raises an eyebrow, staring me down. "Human? You expect us to believe that?" Hanako must be desperate, because in all the time we've been together, she's done her absolute best to keep my species under wraps. Because to ghouls, a human is food, and to humans, anyone associated with a ghoul is a monster. She and I have kept my connection to both worlds well hidden from the other.

On impulse, I suggest, "Cut me."

"What?" Hanako growls.

"Do it," I insist. "I won't heal. Or give me regular food. I'll chew it and swallow it. For dinner I had rice and salmon with tea."

"Urie, we can't kill her if she's a civilian," Sasaki points out.

"You can't seriously believe her!"

Slowly, I raise my arm. "Cut it."

Urie doesn't even hesitate, his kagune shooting down roughly to my shoulder. Before he can slice through anything, though, Hanako practically shrieks, "Use a knife!" When he pauses, she explains, "A ghoul's skin wouldn't be cut by a regular blade, and if you cut off her entire arm like you just about did, it won't ever grow back."

"What's it my business if she loses an arm?"

"It's our job to _protect_ civilians," Sasaki warns.

 _Tch_. "Fine, but do we even have a knife?"

"Use this." Sasaki tosses him a brown rectangle, which when opened, is revealed to be a pocketknife. I don't have time to prepare myself before he's slit a gash in my arm. I bite the inside of my cheek, my arm tensing reflexively.

"See?" I squeak, my voice small. "Human."

Urie, for a second, gawks at the flowing blood. Then, he relaxes away from me and I let out a long breath. My hand rubs my aching neck as he turns to Hanako and his superior. My back stings like it's just been bombarded by bees. "You'll come with us for an interrogation."

"I have to go home." Even as I say it, the look in his eyes makes my words seem futile.

"Give us your address, and we can call your parents to inform them where you'll be," he says emotionlessly.

Gritting my teeth, I respond, "I'd rather not."

"You don't have a choice."

"I'm going home!"

"Just let her," Hanako pipes up. "She can't do any harm."

"If you won't come peacefully, we'll bring you by force." Urie's kagune returns to my neck, Hanako bristling.

"Urie-"

"Stop sympathizing!" Urie cuts him off. "If anyone here is doing an acceptable job, it's me! You're too soft!"

The ghoulish investigator only has time to block when Hanako lunges, kagune whipping out like a snake. I hastily slip away from Urie while he's distracted, stumbling into a run down the alley I'd earlier identified as an exit. Without looking back, I shout, "You'd better get home before morning!"

I don't get a response, but I keep going anyway. Me being there will only hinder her more. She can't fight while having to protect me. I'll just have to trust she'll be able to slip away. Oh, god, if you exist, please let her escape! Please bring her home safely!

When I'm sure I'm not being pursued, I remove my mask and replace it on my back. Then I slip out of the back alley and into a bustling crowd. Using my phone, I find out where I am and navigate back home.

Mom's at the door to greet me when I arrive. Her eyes go to my arm first thing and she anxiously ushers me inside to care for it. I tell her I fell down a flight of stairs. When she asks about Hanako, I honestly tell her she's taking care of ghoul stuff. As usual, this prevents further questions into the matter. She has me change my shirt, telling me she'll sew and clean it, but who knows if I'll ever wear it again. If she notices any of the blood on my shoes, she doesn't say anything about it.

When I'm bandaged and cleaned, my mask hidden under my pillow for the time being, I plop in front of the television and flick it on. Before long, Mom excuses herself to bed, but I stay staring at the flashing screen. Not that I really pay attention to the drama playing on it. My eyes repeatedly flutter to the door, anticipating it opening at any moment. Whether it will reveal Hanako or doves, I don't know, but I can't help but feel like it's on the edge of opening.

At some point, it finally does, and relief floods through me when I see Hanako step inside. I abandon the couch and throw myself at her. She returns my embrace without delay, gripping me tighter than ever before.

"Thank god you're safe!"

"Far from unharmed," she mumbles. I pull back to find she's right. Her face is spotless, her mouth wiped of blood and the rest of her face having been shielded by her mask, but her arms dangle crusted with dried blood, and her clothes hang half in shreds. "I'd heard rumors, but who would have thought there'd be doves with kagunes in them?"

Deeming her clothes irreparable, I sigh and offer a forced smile. "Go take a bath and change clothes. We'll discuss things tomorrow when we've both slept."

* * *

So, contrast to my last TG fanfiction, this one isn't getting very much attention. Maybe the idea isn't that attractive to many people...I'm also thinking it might have something to do with the M rating. Scarlet Child is also M, but it was originally T. Considering the contents, I quickly changed that, but it got attention while it was T that carried over after it went M. So I'm starting to think that I should have had this rated T for the first few chapters while it could be, but after these past few scenes, I can hardly change the rating now. Even if this doesn't get the exposure Scarlet Child did, that doesn't mean you guys won't enjoy it. At least, I hope you're enjoying it. I haven't heard from anyone yet. If you aren't, please, share with me what's wrong. I can't improve my writing if you don't tell me what's wrong with it.

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	6. Runaway Kitty

From here on out in the story, I'm going to have to get creative. These first few chapters came to me pretty naturally, but now I have to decide where it's heading. I suppose that's the challenge of writing. Even if you have an idea, and you're able to formulate the idea correctly, a story can't stand alone with only one good idea. A truly entertaining story is woven from a web of interesting ideas. I really need to map it all out. That's not to say that things will change from what I outline. Actually, this story has already drastically changed from what I originally planned. But while it's a puzzle, I guess these difficulties are what makes writing fun. But you aren't here to listen to me rant

Presenting chapter six!

* * *

Damn Hanako!

My fingers crush the paper in my hand for the thousandth time. I woke up to find it on my nightstand and have barely let it out of my grasp since. It's become riddled with wrinkles, having been enduring my fist for the entire school day.

"Ms. Himura, could you answer this question?"

My head snaps up, my mind temporarily returning to reality. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention." Under any other circumstances, my face would flush red, but right now I'm too irritated to feel embarrassed.

"That's what I thought," the teacher nods, eyes accusing. "Reign your attention back to the board. Now, the answer, Toshima."

His target having shifted off of me, my mind immediately wanders again. How could she? And after I said we'd talk in the morning! I've had hours for it to sink in, and yet I still can't accept those words she wrote.

 _Bye. Get yourself into trouble and I'll kill you._

Does she really think she can just take off like that? Did she think I'd just lie down and let her? She's been with us for over ten freaking years! Next time I see her, I'm going to strangle that ghoul!

At the end of class, Yui is at my desk again. "What's on your mind?" She pokes my forehead. "Come on, let me into that fortress of yours."

"It's nothing." I lean back away from her finger and stuff the paper roughly into the side pocket of my backpack. "Hanako went away without telling me where she's going, and I have no idea when she's going to be back."

Yui frowns. "Geez, that sucks. She won't be picking you up for awhile, then?"

"No."

"Alright!" Yui slams both her hands onto my desk, startling the people around us. "Then I finally get you to myself for awhile! Let's go somewhere to cheer you up! Wherever you want to go, my treat!"

"I don't-" I almost decline, but a fleeting thought stops the refusal from leaving my mouth. "I guess that might be nice. There's this cafe that makes some amazing coffee. I'm a regular customer at it, if you're interested."

"Coffee sounds perfect, so long as there's also food!" Yui readily agrees.

"It's settled, then," I smile. "I should warn you, though. It's a bit of a walk."

She gives me a thumbs up. "No problemo. The walk there and home will help burn the calories we eat!" I text Mom to tell her I'll be late, scooping up my backpack and following Yui. The walk there is filled with pointless chatter, which I indulge myself in since I might as well. I can do small talk. Much beyond that, I've only ever discussed with Hanako. I do like Yui, but she's just not the same as Hanako. I get the feeling she's aware of her standing to me, and it annoys her. Hanako annoys her. That's just how it's always been. After Hanako, there have been a few people who have dared to call me a friend, but all of them have been wary of the smart mouthed girl that always hung around me. Maybe it's some natural instinct that tells them she's dangerous. Or maybe it's just her god-awful attitude towards everyone except Mom and me.

When we arrive, Yui gives the front an analytical eye. "If not for the sign, I'd hardly notice it! How'd you find this place?"

"I didn't, she did." Yui doesn't have to ask who 'she' is.

"Come on. You'll have to show me the good things on the menu!" Despite me being the one who brought her here, she's the one who drags me inside. We seat ourselves appropriately at a table for two and I hail the waitress.

"You came with a different friend today," Touka comments, flipping open her notepad.

"Yui, this is Touka," I introduce. "She went to the college I'm looking to get into, so she's been tutoring me every now and again."

"Nice to meet you! I'm Yui!" She extends her hand, unknowingly shaking the hand of her predator.

"The pleasure's mine," Touka nods. "So, what'll it be today?"

"That depends," Yui eyes me expectantly. "What's good here, Kiyoko?"

"I already told you the coffee." As much as I'd love to recommend her something, and would anywhere else, I've never actually eaten here before. I usually come with Hanako, and both of us exclusively drink coffee when we eat out together. When I didn't come with her, I still only got coffee to keep Touka under the impression that we're of the same species.

"Yes, but I mean food."

Thankfully, Touka steps in. "We're known for our sandwiches as well as our coffee, if that interests you. Kiyoko always gets them if she orders anything with her drink."

I cringe when Yui says, "Then two orders of coffee and sandwiches, please."

"Coming right up." Touka shoots me an apologetic look before bringing the order to Yomo.

"This is super cool!" Yui grins.

I blink. "What?"

"A small little cafe with supposedly awesome food, where you're even in good with the employees! I wanna neat little hangout like this!"

"Well this is mine, so look somewhere else." Yes, I was the one who lead her here, but it's strange being with someone other than Hanako. I hope she doesn't push to accompany me here again.

"So...what do you think about the new English teacher? Pretty hot, right?"

Is this what normal high school girls talk about? "I guess so."

"You _guess so?_ He's gorgeous!" Yui exclaims, drawing a few eyes from other tables. "And he speaks english like he was born in the states! How could you not find him attractive?"

I shrug, feeling weird. Hanako and I never really talk about boys. For me, I've always been too worried about Hanako's species being discovered to chase after a guy. "He's just not really my type."

"Seriously? What _is_ your type, then?"

That's a good question, actually. For a second, the mask shop owner comes to mind. Uta, I think his name was? Well, I guess I did find him pleasant to look at, but he was equally unsettling. Plus, I've never taken an interest in anyone else like that, so that can't be it. "I have no idea."

"How do you not know your own type?"

"I've just never thought about it."

"Never thought about it? Girl, are you human?"

After all I've been going through this past twenty-four hours, how strange it is that she'd be the one to ask that question. "Last time I checked, yes."

"That can't be right," she rejects. "No eighteen year old human girl has never thought about what her type of guy is."

"Is it really that weird?"

"YES! You're a freak of nature!"

"Thanks."

"Would it be rude for me to ask what the conversation is?" Touka wonders, setting down our orders in front of us.

Yui jabs a finger at me. "Can you believe she's never thought about what kind of guy she likes?"

Touka smiles, a chuckle unspoken behind her lips. "Maybe you should start thinking, Kiyoko. Even if you start now, you're a little late to the game."

Yui's eyes suddenly light up, and I get the feeling I won't like where this is going. "Miss Touka, maybe you could set up a group date between us and some older guys?"

Uneasy about the topic, I quickly interrupt with the reason I decided to come. "Um, Touka, have you by any chance seen Hanako in here since our last visit together?"

Something clicks with her, and although subtle, I immediately sense a change in her demeanor. "She hasn't been here today. You know what, though? You left a book here last time you came to hang out. Why don't you come to the back and get it?"

I nod. To Yui, I assure her, "I'll be back in a bit."

"Fine," she grumbles through her bite of sandwich.

When the two of us are safely deep in the back of the shop, Touka stops and faces me. "I thought it was strange that neither of you came back to stash your masks last night. What happened?"

"Doves found us," I admit, lowering myself into a chair. "Two of them."

Her face drains pale. "And you got separated? You mean she could be caught?"

"I don't think so," I shake my head. "We did get separated, but she met up with me afterwards. She disappeared while I was asleep."

She lets this sink in, silent for a moment. "She might have been thinking it'd be easier to find the two of you if you're together."

"Yeah," I mumble. She sits down across from me, her expression sober.

"Listen, Kiyoko. You should know as well as I do that Hanako can take care of herself. If she got away last night, she's probably hiding somewhere safe. If they've seen your face, too, you should be doing the same."

"They only know my mask. And my species."

"That can't be helped if you're caught during a meal."

No, I mean they know that I'm human, and that scares me. I don't know if it scares me the same way it scares a ghoul who's discovered, but what am I to expect? At least if I was a ghoul, I'd know what their reaction would be, but what do they do to humans that conspire with ghouls?

….Should I tell her? Maybe Touka would know. All I'd have to do is say the words and show her the bandage under my sleeve, and she wouldn't be able to doubt me.

But how would she react? I definitely can't tell her.

"I think I'm safe for now," I gulp. "It was probably dark enough for them to mistake my hair for light brown." If they noticed I was a natural blonde, though….

"I can't give you sanctuary if you start getting pursued," she reminds me, standing and handing me a random book. "We here have to cover our own tails, but I'll keep an eye out for Hanako or any information on her. As for the book, read it if you want, but you can return it next time we see each other. I can't really send you out empty handed after using such an excuse to drag you back here."

"But I still-"

"Your friend'll get suspicious if I keep you too long."

Biting my lip, I take the book. _Demian_ , huh? I've never heard of it. "Thanks. Really, I appreciate your help, Touka."

"We have to look after each other," she states with a sad smile. "I don't want to see another comrade taken out."

Comrade…I don't think I've ever felt so guilty about hiding my species.

Yui asks about the book the second I sit back down at our table and I show it to her. She flips it over a couple times in her hand.

"A foreign classic? You're into this stuff?"

"I thought I'd give it a try," I shrug, sipping my coffee and eying the sandwiches. This gets her onto a rant about reading, to which I listen in vaguely on and offer a nod here and there. I'm too worried right now to pay more attention, though. As far as ghouls I'm close to, the list pretty much stops at Hanako and Touka. Hanako never liked me getting too deep in her society. I was fine with that up until now, but now, if Touka doesn't know about Hanako's whereabouts, I'm out of leads.

Just where could she have gone off to?

* * *

I don't think I'll ever go in depth on Demian, but I actually have considered reading it myself. You don't have to read it, but look it up if you're interested. It's actually mentioned in the manga, and when I researched it, the theme seemed to be fit for my story. It's little details like that I put my heart into, but when you think about it, a lot of people don't actually notice those things. I did a similar thing in another one of my stories, Never Meant to. There was a book I researched specifically to find one with a relevant theme, but the detail is so minute I wonder if people actually took notice. And then I feel kind of attention thirsty when I point it out like this. Well, whatever. I've got to get back to actually writing this thing.

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	7. Bird meets Bird

Yo, how've you guys been? Is it just me, or has everyone been getting sick lately? I know it's gone through my friend group, at least, and it also went around my house. As of yet, I've been spared. Let's hope I'm not jinxing it. If any of you guys are sick, you have my condolences. I wish you all the best of health. But hey, as crappy as you might feel when you're sick, at least you get some down time from life. That's a plus, right? If I did get sick, I'd probably spend all that time either writing or gaming. You might as well try to enjoy yourself when you aren't able to do work.

And here's chapter seven, my gift to you along with my wishes for good health.

* * *

After days of mulling it over, I finally decided to come here. The odds of him knowing where she could be feel pretty low, but as little contact as we've had, he actually knows the most about the situation between us. And Hanako had seemed fairly fond of him. Still, what if he doesn't know?

I shake the doubt away. It can't hurt to ask. I mean, although admittedly strange, Uta has struck me as an okay guy. If he knows something, great, and if he doesn't, at least I tried. What have I got to lose? She's been missing for a week and I have no leads.

I watch the taxi I came in pull away, the exhaust visible behind it, before I push open the door to the shop.

"Uta! It's-"

My words catch in my throat as I take in the scene before me. Uta isn't in the back this time. No, he's sitting atop a stool apparently frozen mid conversation with a certain black and white haired dove. Both of their eyes have locked onto me.

I force sound from my mouth. "U-um, I'll come back later." I turn on my heel, but Uta's voice stops me.

"This guy has been here everyday for the past seven days asking about you and your friend," he informs me. "I haven't told him anything, as customer information is confidential, but it would nice if you could convince him to stop coming."

A hand on my shoulder whirls me back to face them. Sasaki grips my shoulder tightly, staring intently into my eyes. "It was you, wasn't it? It occurred to me the next morning that I'd seen you both here."

"I don't know what you mean." My voice betrays me, though, rising in pitch nervously. Why now of all times? I'm usually so good at faking!

"We need to talk," he decides, determined. I glance over his shoulder at Uta, eyes pleading for help. For a second, he just meets my eyes and doesn't move. Just when I'm afraid he won't do anything, he pushes slowly to his feet.

"If there's something you two need to discuss, please do it elsewhere. I prefer to keep my business a peaceful one." He effortlessly shifts the resistant Sasaki away from me, planting himself between us.

"I...came to talk with you, actually, Uta," I confess. "I have something to ask you."

"I'll wait," Sasaki promises. "I just want to talk. Honest."

"If you're waiting, please stand over there while we talk." Uta points to a corner of his shop, staring blankly at the investigator. Clearly unsettled by the shop owner's behavior, the dove flits over to where he's being temporarily kept. When he's far enough away, Uta returns his attention to me. "What was it you wanted? Was the mask unsatisfactory?"

I shake my head. "Not at all, I love it." My memory flickers to the safe at RE:, where my mask now hides away snugly. I haven't worn it once since that day. "I wanted to know if you've heard anything from Hanako. You know, the girl I was with?"

He blinks, his black and red eyes as piercing as ever. "Did something happen?"

"We had a run in with the doves when she took me out for my birthday." I don't dare so much as to glance at the investigator in the room. "Him, and one other. We got away, but she disappeared the next morning. I was hoping that maybe you'd heard something."

"How close are you to Hanako?"

The question startles me, delaying my answer, but the words spill from my mouth the second I comprehend the question. "She's my best friend!"

"How much are you willing to give up for her?" he inquires, hands in his pockets. Somehow, although nothing about him has changed, I feel as if his eyes have begun searching in mine. This...is serious, isn't it? More than I'd thought.

Resolute, I declare, "Whatever I have to."

He keeps searching. Evidently, whatever he finds or doesn't find satisfies him, because he tells me, "Come back tomorrow night, and we'll talk. For now, take care of Kaneki for me."

That name again. I still don't understand what's going on with that dove, but if driving him away from the shop will get Uta to talk, what choice do I have? I nod in agreement. With that, I'm released to approach Kaneki. Or Sasaki. Or whatever his name is.

When he sees me coming, he tries to hide a sigh a relief. I get the feeling he thought I'd try to run for it, and I'll admit, it was tempting. Still, when I reach him he extends his hand.

"I haven't introduced myself yet," he apologizes. "I'm Haise Sasaki."

Slowly, I take his hand to shake it. "Nice to meet you." Not. "You said you wanted to talk. What exactly about?"

He seems displeased that I skipped over my name, but now I've let him see my face. I'm hardly going to make it even easier for him to find me. "I have a lot of questions," he peeks over to Uta, "but nothing we should discuss in front of others."

I smile wryly. He believes Uta, that he's human. "Aren't you trusting."

"So I've been told," he laughs, embarrassed. A bit taken aback by his reaction, I stay silent and let him continue speaking. "I won't take you into the office, as I'm sure you don't want. That would cause an uproar neither of us is prepared for. Is there somewhere public you feel comfortable with? Anywhere where you can be assured I won't arrest you at a moment's notice."

How kind of him to realize how at odds we are. "I'd rather we not talk anywhere."

"I realize, but please indulge me."

Recalling Uta's annoyance with this guy, it's pretty obvious how persistent he'll be if I keep trying to avoid him. "Would you...be willing to tell me how many of your guys know about me?"

It takes him a second to understand. "Ah, of course! It's just the two of us you've met. We agreed to keep this encounter to ourselves. I think Urie was ashamed that he let the two of you slip through his grasp." Seriously? They didn't tell _anyone_?

"Will you be telling anyone about me?" Why am I even asking? Of course he's going to lie.

"No." Despite my doubt, I find no insincerity in his expression. "This is all for my own curiosity. If we ever meet again while I'm working with my coworkers, it'll go as if we've never met before."

"You're a strange guy." Somehow, despite how hostile she'd been towards him the last time they met, I feel like he's someone Hanako would take an interest in. "In that case, no matter where I pick, you won't...linger? Promise me I won't ever see you at the place I choose. I can relax there, and having you there would really ruin it for me."

"If that's what you want," he swears. I shouldn't believe him. Under all trains of logic, it would be idiotic to believe him, but something in my gut tells me he isn't lying. His face lacks any hint of deception.

Frustrated, I finally consent. "Anywhere, right? There's a cafe I like to visit, but you must absolutely _not_ go back to it if I take you there. Are you sure you can agree to that?"

He nods, a smile spreading on his face. "Let's go!"

With a final, worried glance at Uta, I lead Sasaki, Haise, Kaneki, whatever his name is, outside. The taxi ride is silent after I give the address. It was probably bad for me to have offered the place I hang out in, but...I think I'd be a little more comfortable with someone familiar around. Of course I'd rather not drag Touka into this, but her being there should be plenty enough support. When we arrive at our destination, Haise holds open the door for me.

The bell dings as I enter the building first. I can feel Touka's eyes on me while I sit down at a corner table, Haise sitting across from me. When the purple haired waitress approaches, I tell her, "I'll have the usual."

"Coffee it is, then." She scribbles on her notepad. "And you, sir?"

"I'll have coffee, as well. Black, please."

"I'll bring that right out."

As she shuffles away, he turns to me. "I am admittedly a bit disappointed I made you that promise. I happen to like the coffee here quite a bit," he laughs regretfully.

So he's been here before. "If you're going to interrogate me, get it over with."

"Will do." His smile doesn't fall, but remains sad on his face. "You see, I just have a hard time understanding. You're human, and yet...why do you put yourself in such a situation?"

"You called her Black Cat, didn't you?" I ask. When he nods, I say, "I do it because Black Cat is my best friend. It doesn't matter if she's a ghoul."

"How did that happen?"

"How does anything happen? Coincidence. Luck. Fate. Whatever you want to call it. We found each other when I needed her, and then I was there when she inevitably needed me."

"Okay, but why do you go with her to meals?"

"I don't." Even if she comes back, I'll probably never accompany her again. Not after all this happened as a result. "That was a one-time deal. I felt it was wrong of me to claim to understand her position without ever seeing it."

"Then," he wonders, his tone almost hesitant in his asking, "even after seeing that...you're still with her?"

"Your coffees." Both of us pause the conversation as Touka sets the mugs in front of us. Before she leaves, however, she turns to me and asks, "How did you like the book you borrowed? If you're finished, you're welcome to come choose another while you're here." Her way of telling me she wants to talk in the back. I'm not finished, though, and I hope to be done with this conversation with Haise in one go so he won't come looking again. He shouldn't, if he's been honest with me. I dread if I've mistaken his character.

"Thanks, but I've yet to finish it," I reply truthfully. "I'll be done with it in a few days, though, so if you don't mind I'll return it then."

Left with no choice, she nods. "Then enjoy your drinks."

Alone again, I take a sip of the coffee before I answer the hanging question. "I would be. However, she ran off the morning after and I haven't heard from her since. I have no idea when or if she'll be coming back."

His smile completely vanished, he lowers his head as if embarrassed. "I understand it was my fault, but can you stop glaring at me? It was my job, and it wasn't like I wanted to hurt her or you."

"My apologies for being unable to forgive you. I'm just trying to imagine how many souls you've ruined with that suitcase of yours."

"You were really that close to a ghoul?"

"I'm really that close to _her_. Even if she's not human, she is a _person_ , and my closest friend. Except that, because of you, I may never see her again. I appreciate your peaceful nature, Haise. If you weren't like you are, I just might have had to disappear like she did and left my family wondering where I was and if I was okay. Despite my thankfulness, though, I'm unable to stand people like you! Not after you killed what little family she had, and not after you drove a stake between our friendship! Now if you're out of questions," I half slam my nearly empty cup on the table and stand, "I'd like to be done with this."

"Wait!" He reaches out to stop me, but I move out of his reach. Still, I stop and wait for him to go on. "Give me your phone number."

" _Excuse me_?"

"I want to be able to reach you, in case we come across any information about your friend. If I find out anything, I'll tell you. If she get's captured, or….killed, I'll contact you."

I blink. Is he serious? "Isn't information like that classified?"

He avoids the question. "This is the least I can do. It's clear I've done something bad, but I can't just leave the life I have and repent. I still believe that humans need to be protected from ghouls with ill intent, but I wish I hadn't had to cause you trouble like this. Please, accept this as my apology."

I want to refuse, I really do. I want to reject his remorse and let the guilt swallow him, but how could I be so cruel when he's pleading with such an innocent, desperate expression. Sighing, I whip out my phone and open the contacts. When I'm there, I hold my hand out to him. "Give me your phone."

He complies and I enter his number into mine. When I put mine in his, I label it as 'Mockingbird', and leave it at that. I flip shut my ancient phone and hand his back to him.

"I don't want to hear a peep unless it's urgent," I hiss. Hating to linger any longer, I slap down the money for my drink and take my leave.

* * *

A little salty there, aren't we Kiyoko? Am I the only one who finds her kinda scary when she's angry? She's just so cold! I didn't even realize how harsh she was until I reread the chapter to edit it. As I was reading, I got chills from her. Anyone else feel that? Maybe it's just 'cause I'm the author... That's a fear I have, you know? As the writer myself, there are bound to be things I get from my writing that you readers don't. If I was a master at writing, I'd be able to get all that across to you, but no one really fully _masters_ writing. There's always more to know. But did I do well this time? Either way, I'll do my best to write the next chapters.

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	8. The First Discordant Note Sung

So I decided to start naming the chapter. Why? A whim. Really, that's basically it. It helps me keep track of where I am, too, but I only thought of that while I was already giving them titles. I've never done this before, and I'm actually finding it kinda fun. Maybe I'll do it more in the future. What do you guys think? ...do you even read these afore (afore may or may not be a word) and after notes? Usually when I ask, I get people saying yes, but I have to wonder sometimes. I mean, what am I supposed to think when no one says anything confirming it? Well, there's no much I can do if you choose not to read these.

But whatever, right? Read away.

* * *

"How was your birthday?"

"Huh?" I stare at Uta, unresponsive. I'd expected questions, sure, about Haise or Hanako, but not about my birthday. I admit, though, that I came not knowing what to expect. Last night I went back to the cafe to visit Touka, since she had obviously wanted to talk earlier that day, and that conversation had surprised me enough. Apparently, Haise really is Kaneki, and he and Touka used to be close. I certainly hadn't even considered amnesia to be the cause of his many names. And not only that, but he's half ghoul! Considering that, I shouldn't be surprised by Uta's question. "It...was fine, I guess. Except for the being caught by the doves thing."

"I see." Both of us stand in the middle of his shop, silence filling the air. The lighting tints both of us crimson, the dimness casting shadows thick across our bodies. I came like he asked, because he made it sound like he knew something, but does he?

"About Hanako-"

"I have heard news of her since the time you bought your mask," he interrupts me. "Only passively, but from that information I'm lead to believe she doesn't plan to see you again anytime soon."

My heart seems to sink and leap simultaneously, gladdened by news of her and saddened by his conclusion. Still, the excitement wins out and shows itself in my voice. "What did you hear?"

His eyes bore into me, but I stare hard back. After a moment, he says simply, "She joined a ghoul organization called the Aogiri Tree."

Fantastic. That barely tells me anything. "What is that?"

"Exactly what it sounds like. Aogiri is a powerful group the CCG often goes up against. They're an extremely influential gang within the world of the ghouls."

"Why'd she go and join a group like that?" All she's ever wanted to do is _avoid_ doves!

"I would guess to distance herself from you. She seems to wish to cut all ties with human society."

You mean…she means to cut me off? "I can't let her do that!"

"I expected as much." All of a sudden, Uta leans in close, unblinking. Startled and suddenly nervous, I lean back a bit. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end, my heart pounding. I remember us doing something like this when I first came to his shop, but back then, there hadn't been anything other than an invasion of privacy that I'd been feeling. Now, though….now he looks at me as if he could easily devour me. When he speaks, his voice has sunk quiet and dark. "You said you would do whatever you had to for her. If you refuse to let her go, would you be willing to become a monster to keep her?"

I gulp. What….what is he saying? What is he talking about? A monster? Surely he doesn't mean become a ghoul. That isn't possible! Unable to comprehend the question, I hesitate before asking, "What do you mean?"

"Come." Before I can understand what's happening, he's grabbed me by the wrist and begun to drag me towards the back. The door shuts behind us to close us off from the public side of the shop, darkness descending.

What's going on? I thought I came prepared to hear anything, no matter how obscure, but what is he doing? What are _we_ doing?

He releases my wrist and I'm left standing, abandoned in the darkness. I don't reach out, somehow afraid of what I might touch. Still, I can hear the pounding of my heartbeat in my ears that grows louder with every passing second I'm left alone.

I let out a startled yelp when something metal is forced into my hands. Before I can figure out what it is, light temporarily blinds me. I pry my eyes open, my vision adjusting. The first sight to meet my eyes is a cold, grey pistol in my grasp.

"If you want to get your friend back," Uta begins, my eyes snapping upwards to find him with his hands on a lightswitch, "you're going to have to enter her world. If you go into it without the will to kill, you won't last a week. Once you get the ghouls to accept you, it isn't them you'll have to fear. It's the humans."

"So you're giving me a gun," I laugh wryly. "What a gift. It's not like I can hit anything with it."

"For now it doesn't matter if you can aim. It matters if you can pull the trigger."

The gun suddenly weighs more than solid-iron dumbbells in my hand. "You're telling me to kill."

"Yes."

I lick my lips, mouth dry as I eye the weapon in my hand. Become a monster...become a murderer.

"If you can kill someone of your own species, I'll help you. I'll give you the connections and the situations to weave you into the community and regain your contact with Hanako, but only if you can use that to kill." I jump when he moves abruptly, yanking a shape out from under a clothed table.

The girl's frightened voice reaches my ears muffled by her gag, her large brown eyes meeting mine, wide. Her frame is tiny with her arms and legs bound, held close to her torso protectively.

"This is Chisa Kuitani," Uta introduces. "Shoot her."

My stomach twists. "I-"

"You can decide not to, but she will still die. She's my next meal, so if you don't shoot her, I'll kill her quickly to eat her. However, I will not help you with anything else."

My mind recalls Hanako's kill, the way blood had spurted from the body as she tore into it, the way the man had quickly stopped moving. It had been brutal, but it had been necessary. She had to eat him to live. But I don't have to kill this girl. Unlike Hanako, I can walk away. But if I do, I might lose her for good.

I shake my head furiously, distracted by my pulse thumping deafeningly in my ears. Slowly, I shift the gun into my left hand and lift it. I support it with my right hand when I realize my arm is shaking, steadying the aim. The barrel then sits inches from the young girl's forehead. How old is she? Clearly she's younger than me by quite a bit. Is she even thirteen yet? What sort of family does she have, if any? What could her mother be thinking, now that her daughter is missing?

The image of my own mom crying settles over me. The only time I ever saw her bawling was when Hanako and I stayed out late when we were younger, and we hadn't warned her beforehand. When we'd gotten home she'd wrapped us in her arms trembling, and we'd sworn always to tell her from then on since neither of us could stand seeing her like that. Could I take this child from her mother? My eyes burn, and somehow I feel like my face has begun to mirror the horror in Chisa.

But if I don't do this, I may never see Hanako again!

Uta watches me silently, waiting, like a demon awaiting a contract. His dangling ebony hair, his inky black and red eyes, the tattoos that warp around his skin as if slithering, all of it creates the illusion that I've gained the attention of the unholy Grim Reaper.

Freaked, I hastily avert my gaze back towards the cowering girl. Somehow Uta's cold gaze has scared me more than the prospect of her death. How could that be? Am I truly so heartless? Is he saying that if I want to keep Hanako, I have to give up my heart? But if I'm more terrified of him than of pulling this trigger, what heart do I even have to begin with?

"What if someone hears the gunshot?" The question slips from my lips without much thought, but as I say it I realize its importance. Sure, it's important that we not get caught if I'm to make any progress in finding Hanako, but more than that, it makes me realize that I've resolved.

"We aren't in a nice enough part of town for anyone to care," is all Uta says.

So that's it. I'm free to shoot. Nothing to stop me, no consequences to face except those given to me by my own mind, and my best friend to regain from killing her.

When I lock eyes with the girl, she wrenches uselessly against Uta and coils back away from me. She tries to scream despite her gag, and the noise echoes eerily in my ears. Her eyes clench shut and tears spill out, limbs quivering. I remind myself one last time that, unless I do this, I could very well never see Hanako again.

Just the twitch of my finger and I jolt, the gun flying into the air with the abrupt energy. From any sort of distance, I'm sure I would have missed, but there's no way I could have hit anywhere but her head the way the barrel had been nearly touching her.

My arm drops to my side, still clenching the gun, as I take in the sight before me. Although Uta holds up her form, her head lolls to one side limply like that of a doll's. The gun hadn't been a powerful one; the bullet didn't break through the other side of her skull. It certainly went in, however. Slightly right of the center of her forehead, a small hole has burrowed into her brain. The bone around it clearly deformed a bit under the skin when it took the impact, but other than that, there's barely any damage to be told of. Just a trickle of blood, seeping sluggishly like the white poison of a poinsettia when you absently decide to prick its petals.

My knees give out from under me. As I slip down to the floor, Uta casually begins to dine. It occurs to me as he does that her eyes are still fluttering. Her consciousness is just barely hanging on when he begins his meal, biting seductively into the base of her neck and peeling back her skin into his mouth.

I watch silently as the second ghoul dines in front of me, the metal of the gun growing sickeningly warm in my hand. A million and one thoughts race through my mind, but my brain gently brushes them aside in favor of silence. Only the most basic and easy thoughts are allowed to intrude. Like how blood is getting on Uta's clothes as he eats. It isn't much, and he's actually pretty clean about it when compared to Hanako, but it makes me wonder if he has extra clothes stashed around here. He can't run a shop for humans and ghouls alike with blood staining his shirt.

And I can't help but notice how elegantly he feeds. It's almost like watching a mother cat lick her kittens clean, only instead of cleaning off the grime, Uta is stripping away tissue and bone. Now that I think about it, Hanako was also mesmerizing to watch. Do all ghouls have that sort of aura when they eat? Why don't humans? I wonder if ghouls find something more to eating than humans do. That would explain why, when it comes to eating, ghouls are so beautiful to watch while humans resemble little but pigs with how ungratefully they chew. I wish I could look like that while eating. I probably look like any other human, though. My thoughts drift to food, to the mini octopus hotdogs that Mom packed in my lunch for school today.

 _Mom!_ I gasp aloud when her face flashes behind my eyes. What am I thinking? Even if I'm okay with putting myself down as a human, never her! No! I've always thought Mom was the prettiest woman I'd ever seen! Not only is she lovely to look at, but she's always working so hard, loving me so much, worrying….

And I just killed a person! If she found out, it's wreck her! For her to learn that her daughter that she's poured so much blood, sweat, and tears into raising right just shot a little girl! She'd cry! She'd definitely cry! She'd ask what she'd done wrong and wonder how she could be so useless to me! I've worked so hard for her, being a model student in grades and attitude so I could have a future where I'd be able to support her, and I just did the worst thing I could possibly do! I let her down! With this on my mind, how could I possibly go back to the path I was on? Going back to school? Finding the right college? Getting a good job? I just threw all of that away so I could join Hanako! Was...was it really worth it?

I wrap my arms around myself, crushing my torso as hard as I can. Worth it or not, it's done. Mom is dear, without a doubt, but so is Hanako. I would do the same if their positions were switched, wouldn't I? For the two of them, I'd do anything!

"Uta?" My voice comes out scratchy, despite my not having let out a single sob. He pauses in his meal to meet my gaze. The iciness from before is gone, the more gentle patience having returned to his eyes. "Why is it that you decided to help me?"

It might be an odd question after all of this, but it's an honest one. We've only met each other a few times, and Hanako didn't seem to know him all that well, either. It strikes me as strange that he'd go so far as to coerce me to kill for the sake of 'helping' me, when we're near strangers.

Using his thumb, he wipes away a few crimson droplets around his lip piercing. "You've piqued my interest, and as much as you'll do anything for your friend, I'll do anything to entertain myself."

* * *

Deep breath in...and let it out. Well. That happened. Is it sinking in? I understand if it takes you awhile to process the chapter that just went down. It took awhile for Kiyoko to comprehend it, too, and she's the one who fired the gun! Ah, my heart! It goes out to her! I'm one thing, though. How did you guys like it? This is a pretty pivotal point, so it'd really be helpful if I could hear some of your opinions here. Please don't hold anything back. I can handle it. I nervously anticipate what you all have to say.

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	9. Sunny with a Chance of Regret

So I've begun ice skating...go ahead and take a guess why I decided to do that. Actually I take that back, because if you're reading these, I'm pretty sure I already explained my recent obsession. So anyway, I was on the ice for an hour the other day, and I can confidently say I only fell twice. I also cannot stop for the life of me. That should be solved pretty soon, though. I hope. So I'm pretty excited about that and dreaming way bigger than I will ever achieve, with me already being this age and all. Have you seen those professionals? The girls are all like fifteen or sixteen!

Enough of my Yuri on Ice phase. You came for Tokyo Ghoul.

* * *

The bright, clear blue sky starkly contrasts my mood. Sighing, I turn over onto my side and push an apple slice into my mouth. I don't want to eat; I haven't since last night. Still, Mom would start worrying if I just suddenly stopped eating. She's already begun to grow anxious about Hanako's extended absence.

"Not with Yui today?" I twist to find Mami standing over me, her black, blue streaked hair blowing into her face. She shoves it back irritably.

"The teacher held her back," I explain. "Apparently she's been letting her grades slip."

Mami frowns. "It's my job to get the bad grades!"

"Maybe you should try fixing that," I comment, sitting up.

"Nah, too much trouble." She steals my last apple slice and shoves it into her mouth. "You've been coming up to the roof a lot recently."

"I have, haven't I?" Technically we're not supposed to be up here, but it's hard to find someplace else with so few people. Occasionally you get delinquents like Mami who come up here for one reason or another, but I find this place more isolated than anywhere else during lunchtime. I have been trying to cut down on my visits to the roof this year, since it's against the rules. I only really come up here when I've got something on my mind nowadays.

She examines me as I nibble on the rest of my meal. "What's it bugging you?"

"Hm?"

"You never make eye contact whenever you're bothered by something. What is it? I don't smell like smoke, do I?" For a second she panics, only settling down after she's sniffed her shirt. "Thank god that's not it! I'm dead if the teachers catch me smoking again."

Bothered by something….what an understatement. "Mami, what's the worst thing you've ever done?"

"Uh, I've done a lot of bad things, if you're going by what my mom says. How bad are we talking?"

"Absolute worst."

She thinks for a minute. "It might've been that time I gave a beer to a kid. He paid me for it, which is the only reason I would have handed over my drink, but still. I shouldn't have done that. I mean, I've no problem with the way I live, but it probably wasn't good of me to encourage that kid down the same path. The guilt after I sobered up definitely wasn't worth the money."

"'s that so…"

"Now spit it out. What exactly did you do that you're so hung up on?"

I don't answer, the terror filled eyes of the girl from yesterday cowering in the corner of my mind. Mami huffs, then digs around in her jacket pocket. Then she holds up a pack to me.

"Wanna smoke?"

"No."

"It'll calm the nerves." As she says this, she plucks out a cigarette and puts it to her lips, lighting it. "If it's really that serious, you could probably use a few."

Again, I just repeat, "No." I know people say smoking helps when you're stressed, but how the hell is infesting my lungs with nicotine supposed to help me recover from what I've done? I can hardly believe I actually came to school today, considering how sick I woke up feeling. I'm shocked I even slept at all.

"So," she finally has mercy enough to change the subject, "how's Yui?"

"Why don't you ask her yourself?"

 _Pahhh._ The smoke swirls, puffed from her lips. "You know the answer to that."

I do. The two of them never talk anymore. Despite how close they used to be as first-years, time has not been kind to their friendship.

"Do you ever wish to go back to how it was when the three of us first met?" Yui, being the goody-goody she's always been, had to be dragged up here by Mami three years back. Mami had hung with her not-so-scholarly boyfriend, but Yui had spotted me. We didn't know each other at the time, but she recognized me from class and had thought I looked a lot more normal than the other person Mami was with. So we got to talking, and she began approaching me in class, and the rest is history. Mami, on the other hand, began complaining to me just because I was there after her boyfriend broke it off with her. For a short period of time, the two of them converged on me and we became a lopsided trio of sorts. But then the both of them gradually stopped meeting each other until I became practically their only tie. Even now that they got put in the same class, they have barely said a word to each other all year. Neither ever knows what the other is up to.

It scares me that Hanako and I could soon become just as distant. But that won't happen, because I won't let it. I can't let it, especially now that I've killed a person for that exact selfish desire.

"The thought's a nice dream," Mami admits, snuffing her cigarette on the concrete. "Is that was this is about? You having friend troubles?" Before I can refute her, she goes on. "Ah! That must be why I haven't been seeing Hanako at all! Did you two get into a fight? It better have been a fistfight and not some hissy fit, or else you're being way too over dramatic about it."

I sigh, leaning my head back against the wall behind me. "We didn't fight. She just...left. Left me a note and basically broke everything off with me."

She blinks. "Wow, really? That's harsh. You two were so close, too. You tried calling her, didn't you?"

"Of course. She blocked me." Or, the more likely scenario considering who she is is that she completely destroyed her phone. She wouldn't want there to be any chance of me contacting her.

"Well, there's not much I can do for you. Your situation's different from mine, but it's still pretty shitty, ain't it?"

"You have no idea."

"If it makes it feel any better, you've got a young angel for a mom. Have I ever mentioned how jealous I am of that?" Yes, many times. "I've told you before mine's an old hag, but seriously, those words don't do that monster justice. I'm shocked my old man's been putting up with her for all these years, without even once bringing up a divorce. Probably's got something to do with the problem of image, or something." She keeps going on, but I've heard it all before. Her main grievance in life seems to be the affairs of her parents.

I wonder if she's ever given ghouls much thought. Sure, the topic has come up in our conversations before, but we've talked about little except the misfortune of the victims. As most people do. I study her while she rants, wondering. Would she find it weird if I asked her about them now? She would, since it's so off topic, but has she ever thought about how the ghoul feels when they attack their victim? Sure, the victim of a murder is always scared, but what about the murderer?

A cold drop drips down my cheek before I can stop it, catching her attention. She pauses for a moment, then keeps going. She just shifts to sit beside me rather than in front and pretends she doesn't see.

Unable to thank her through the tears, I just do my best not to sob. After a while, my eyes dry up and she brings her rant to a finish. She lights a second cigarette while we sit, and somehow I find the heavy stench comforting. It certainly beats the iron aroma of blood.

"Kiyokooo!" A familiar voice whines from behind the corner. "My parents are grounding me until I get up my grades! They called the teacher and everything! I'm not allowed to go to any clubs!"

"Over here." I extend my hand around the corner for Yui to see. She rounds it immediately, a pout on her lips that falters when she sees Mami.

"Oh, I forgot you're always up here."

"Nice to see you, too, Yui," Mami puffs, dragging herself up to her feet. "Things going rough for you?"

"I guess." Her energy has faded, faced with her old friend. The way Mami's life has been going, Yui has a hard time complaining in front of her.

"What a coincidence. Kiyoko's got some crap going on herself." Yui glances to me, but I keep my eyes on Mami. "I recommend you eat quick. Lunch'll be over soon."

That said, Mami walks over to the chain-link fence surrounding roof and leans against it, which probably isn't the smartest thing to do if she's trying to not get caught. Yui plops down in front of me, her voice low as not to carry to Mami.

"What's up with you? Did you fail the quiz in history or something?"

"No, I just told her about Hanako." I pray to myself that my eyes haven't swollen from crying. "She's still yet to contact me."

"If she's really treating you like that, just forget about her," she shrugs, opening her lunchbox and shoveling the rice into her mouth.

"Sure, I'll just do that," I roll my eyes. She grins. I laugh, her full cheeks likening her to a chipmunk. Still, I find myself unmotivated to eat anymore, so I shove away the remainder of my meal. I'll just add the rest of it to my dinner tonight.

Then I realize the weight of my phone in my hand and sigh. Force of habit, I guess. I always used to call Hanako whenever I was upset. Yui doesn't miss this, slowing in her eating to watch for my reaction. She won't receive whatever message I send her, but maybe it'll make me feel a bit better if I follow routine.

I tap the letters and send, glad to do so even when the message declares itself unable to leave my phone.

 _I feel awful and it's all your fault you idiot_

"She really hasn't responded to _anything_?"

A smile twitches at my lips at the tone of her voice. Despite the fact that Yui has always shown distaste for my 'cousin', it sounds like she's genuinely surprised by her behavior. To an extent, Yui trusted Hanako, even if she never liked her.

"Not a word," I confirm, pocketing my phone. "Don't worry. I'll find her eventually and strangle her for leaving."

"I'm not worried," she denies, "except for you. Mami wouldn't have mentioned that something was wrong unless it was serious. How are you actually taking her vanishing?"

"Horribly." I'm not ashamed to admit it. Not in the least.

"Have you thought about filing a missing person report? Or hiring an investigator?"

"She left me a note. She wasn't kidnapped or something."

"Well, yeah, but you'd find her pretty quick like that."

"No," I stretch. "No, I'll find her on my own. I'm thinking I should think of it like a challenge, a sort of puzzle. You know how invested in her I am, but this is a chance for me to do something on my own for once." I'd been wanting to do something on my own for a while, but I always figured that something would be going to college and eventually making a steady income. Supporting myself financially, you know?"

"If you ever need any help, call me," she grumbles, almost begrudgingly. "I'll help you look."

"Thanks."

As I watch her eat the rest of her meal, I can't help but remember the scene from last night. Yui biting into a vegetable is Uta sinking his teeth into the nape of Chisa's neck. Her peeling an orange is Uta again, peeling back the girl's skin to reach the flexible muscle tissue beneath. Her sucking on her juicebox is a ghoul slurping up the dripping streams of blood.

Both humans and ghouls eat, I guess. They're the same. And then there's me. I eat, like either of them, but I've killed for reasons other than to eat. I've killed to kill. To prove myself.

With those kinds of thoughts invading my mind, I can't help but feel slightly out of place as I sit on the roof with Yui.

* * *

Do any of you remember Mami? It's likely you don't, but her name actually came up in the first chapter. Somehow she actually became a character. It's kinda fun when that happens, isn't it? Anyway...if you're a long time reader of mine, you'll know I often feel horrible about what I do to my characters. This story is no exception. Really, it'd be fantastic if everyone could just be happy all the time. But were that the case, something would be missing. We just wouldn't be human without anger or sorrow. I lay it on pretty thick, though, don't I? We'll have to see if that darkness holds through until the end or not. A happy ending, or a tragic ending. Even I don't know yet. Any thoughts?

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3


	10. Acquaintances

So it's finally my turn to get sick. It isn't the flu or anything, no worries, but as far as colds go it's pretty wretched. I keep having to go in search of tissue boxes wherever I go, and then there's the buildup in the back of my throat that makes me cough. And when I cough, my head hurts. On a lighter note, I recently got to watch a collection of studio ghibli films! I loved them! My favorite has to be Howl's Moving Castle, though. That one just hit all the right notes with me.

Onto the story.

* * *

A buzzing shakes me from my dreams. Groaning, I turn over in bed and grope around for my phone. I might as well answer it. It's not like I was sleeping very well, anyway. I flinch back at the sudden light, a message lit on the screen.

 _Wear your best and come to this address. You have half an hour._

It's from Uta. I throw off my covers and drag myself out of bed, flicking on the lights. With such thin walls, I can hear Mom's breathing in the next room over. I move carefully as not to wake her.

What could it possibly be for Uta to contact me so early? Or late. Is it even morning yet? I check my phone to find it's almost one a.m. And what does he want me to dress up for? And thirty minutes? That doesn't give me anytime to make myself up nicely.

The closet creaks when I open it. From it I grab out the nicest dress I have and a shawl I knitted a few years back that seems to match. Although it isn't too warm out, the nicest shoes I own are sandals, so that's what I put on. Once dressed, I run my fingers through my hair and a thought strikes me.

I text Uta back, _I need time to get my mask_.

 _Ten more minutes_

He really isn't giving me any room to dawdle, is he? But his allowance for time confirms my suspicions. Wherever we're going, I'm meeting with ghouls.

I'm about to step out of the room when I hesitate, eyes settling on the pillow sitting alone in the middle of the room. It's a measly cover, sure, but better than leaving it in plain sight. Uta probably wants me to bring that, doesn't he, since if I get into a tight spot, I don't have a kagune to save me.

The world I'm entering is dangerous. Uta's made it quite clear that if I want to be a part of it, I have to be able to fight.

Without the time to debate it, I grab the gun from beneath the pillow and wrap it safely in my shawl before dashing out the door. I don't bother to wait for a taxi, not caring how strange I look as I rush down the streets to reach the cafe. When I arrive, though, I have to catch my breath before I enter. The cafe's already closed, so I go in through the back that Touka always leaves open. I use the light of my phone to find the safe. My fingers fumble with the lock in my haste, but it isn't long before I've retrieved my mask and am closing it back up.

Without a choice, I hail a taxi this time. Of course the driver asks why someone so young is out so late, but I wave him off, telling him my business is important. No one's waiting where I'm dropped off, but I send the taxi away anyway and check the time again. I'm a minute late.

"You brought your mask?"

I jump half out of my skin when Uta appears beside me, the image of him eating flashing through my mind. "I did."

"Did you bring the gun?"

"I did."

"Come." He slides a wonky-looking mask without a face on and turns, offering his arm to lead me by. Mouth dry, I tense my hand to keep it from shaking and place it in the crook of his arm. We enter deeper into the quiet, concrete jungle that seems to have been long abandoned until we come to a staircase going down to the basement of a building. At the top, a small sign reads, **Pet Show Tonight Only: 1:20am-3:30am**. I jerk away when Uta nudges my hair with his nose, glaring at him questioningly.

"You didn't wear perfume," he notes. Ah, I forgot. Usually Hanako reminds me.

"Is my smell that noticeable?" I worry, eyeing the bare skin of my arm. I pull the shawl around myself tighter.

"It isn't," he assures me, "so long as they don't pay attention. Your scent will be masked by the number of ghouls. Now, your mask?" As I fit the face of the mockingbird onto my head, a purple-haired woman in a masquerade mask waltzes past us and down the steps, nodding a brief greeting to Uta.

"This event is primarily social," Uta informs me as we descend after the woman. "I promised you connections, and this is me keeping my promise."

I glance at him out of the corner of my eye, my mask blocking the back half of his head. "Do you want a thanks?"

"Not at all."

"Welcome!" A man with an elaborate, jeweled mask shakes Uta's hand. "I'm delighted that you could make it! And who might this be?" He tilts his head in a way that gives me the impression his gaze is on me.

"She's a little mockingbird I've been taking care of lately," Ute explains lightly.

"A pleasure to meet you," the man nods to me. "For this occasion, you may call me the Host. I rent this place from a friend once a year to hold this show. I do hope you enjoy it. And if you're feeling a bit peckish, there are plenty of competitors looking to sell." I nod, silent. So, the 'pets' being shown are human. They're been shown off and sold to be eaten. Of course Uta wouldn't bring me somewhere normal.

"We came to admire, not to buy," Uta assures the man.

"Feel free," the man allows, gesturing for us to enter. We do.

Inside, the lighting is dim except for spotlights focused on still individuals. Men and women, boys and girls sit alone in each spotlight, dressed in expensive threads and touched up with makeup. The blank, dead expression on their faces remind me heavily of the way Chisa had looked after I'd shot her. I don't realize they're actually alive until I notice the one nearest breathing. The realization causes me to tighten my grip on Uta's arm

"Many ghouls don't view humans as people," Uta murmurs to me. The sudden whisper tenses me even more. "Does this surprise you?"

"No," I mumble. "It's just…"

"You are a ghoul, tonight, Mockingbird. You have no need to fear."

Although I am, in fact, shaking in my sandals, I refute it. "It's not that I'm afraid, it's just that the….pets, unsettle me. They look like the mannequins from your shop with faces and wigs."

"They're meals with decor. Have you ever heard of gourmet ghouls?"

"They're always on the news, along with binge eaters."

"Like gourmets pursue meat of quality flavor, there are those who seek out appearance primarily. A naturally blonde asian like you, for example, would sell for a high price."

I can't see his face through the mask, but I get the feeling he's teasing me. Gnawing nervously on my cheek, I nudge him roughly. He actually laughs at my reaction! With the cover over his face, my only hint to his amusement is the low chuckle I just barely catch over the murmur of the crowd in the shadows. Upon hearing this, my anxiety seems to settle. I don't allow myself to relax completely, though, fingers wrapped firmly around the gun beneath my shawl.

"Anyway," I say pointedly, "why are those people just….standing there? Don't they know what's happening to them?"

"They are pets," he reminds me. "They've been raised by ghouls since their youth. They may be human, but they are hardly people anymore."

"What do you mean I'm not allowed to taste?"

My eyes are drawn to the woman who we'd seen entering. Her hand gestures sharply towards a young boy dressed in old, European style clothes as she argues with a masked man in a suit.

The man responds, "You are free to eat, so long as you pay first."

"It's a waste to pay if I don't know whether it'll be worth eating!"

"My apologies, miss. The rules cannot be broken."

Her lips set in a scowl, she snaps her hand back down to her side and slinks away. To my surprise, Uta yanks me into motion to follow her. While I'm being pulled, my toes stub the ground and I wince. We only stop when the woman ghoul has isolated from the rest of the onlookers. She watches us approach, silent.

"Kanae," Uta greets, bowing slightly. Unsure of what to do, I also lower my head.

"Why are you here?" she questions, crossing her arms. Her impatience is clear in her pursed lips, if not obvious enough from her tone.

"I came to watch," he says simply, turning his head to scan the room. "I haven't been out since the auction. You, Kanae, have been the one who's uncharacteristically active."

"I'm looking for a delicacy," she claims cryptically. She nods to me. "And what is you're planning?"

"This is Kiyoko, a little mockingbird," he introduces. I extend my hand to shake, but she doesn't in return. For a second I fear that I've done something wrong, but then she grabs my hand. "It occurred to me that she might be of some assistance in your search."

Kanae drops her hand, and I can feel her eyes examining me under her mask. "And how, may I ask, could this mademoiselle help me if she doesn't know what I'm looking for?"

Yeah, Uta. What exactly are you signing me up for?

"As it happens, she's acquainted with a certain half ghoul." Kanae stiffens as he speaks. So this has to do with Kaneki? _Again?_ Why does he seem to come up whenever ghouls are involved? I get that he's an unusual case, but how important is he, exactly?

"Acquainted?"

Bothered to have Uta speaking for me, I take it upon myself to answer. "I have the means to contact him at my convenience, if it would help you."

"And why, I pray, would you assist me?" she inquires.

"Actually, I wonder that myself," I admit, drawing Uta's attention. Kanae shifts her head to Uta, curious. "You see, it's true that I have goals of my own, but a certain someone has taken the reigns from my hands. He seems to think that I'll get something out of assisting you, and I am merely trusting that."

"I see." She falls silent, studying Uta, who's studying me. Obviously, Uta's surprised by my honesty, but what exactly did he expect me to say? I can't come up with such a blatant lie on the spot like that. "I shall keep your offer in mind, Oiseau Moqueur, but I'm afraid I would prefer to avoid having anything to do with that wretched mutant. Now if you'd excuse me, I have no reason to stay if I cannot taste the merchandise. Au Revoir."

"Oise...what?"

"Kanae is French," Uta whispers in my ear. Louder, he proposes, "Why don't we accompany you out? We came to spread our wings, but it's boring."

"How blunt," she cracks a smile. "If you insist, I have difficulty refusing a clown."

"A clown?"

I didn't realize the question had slipped through my lips until Kanae's attention returned to me. "Did you not know who you came with, Oiseau Moqueur?"

"Apparently not." Is a 'clown' important? I've never heard Hanako use the term, but is it something a ghoul should know about? Uta says nothing to this newfound knowledge of mine, his facial expression hidden behind his mask so I can't read it. Even if the mask weren't there, though, I get the feeling that his face would appear as blank as usual.

Uta pulls me closer, causing me to stumble a bit, as he makes way for Kanae to lead. She passes and we fall into step barely behind her. My chest lightens significantly as we step out from the darkened basement and into the light of the moon. No soulless gazes wander to settle on me out here.

"What is it you're after?" Kanae suddenly asks. I think she's talking to me until Uta responds.

"Something to pass the time."

"Surely, you've got something planned." She glances at us over her shoulder as she walks. "Someone like you always does."

He doesn't answer, and I peek up sideways at him. God, he's hard enough to read normally, but when he's in this elaborate suit and faceless mask, it's like he's some sort of AI. Or living statue. Or god. Something utterly beyond the understanding of a normal person.

"This is the Kaede from the Hiroshi squad, reporting three ghouls encountered in the fourth sector."

About two blocks ahead of us, a man and a woman with shining silver briefcases stand in wait. It's the woman who's speaking. Kanae immediately falls into a defensive stance, my fingers tightening around my gun. Uta, as incomprehensible as ever, doesn't flinch. With my hand still hooked in the crook of Uta's arm, I can feel that he doesn't even so much as stiffen.

"They seem to have emerged from an underground gathering, as we expected. We'll engage these three, but backup is requested."

"We'll engage," the man repeats, his voice a little less steady, "but send skilled investigators. One of the ghouls is No Face."

The woman tenses at this, her expression growing wary as she eyeballs us. "Just my luck, I guess, meeting a clown."

I prepare to pull out my gun, but Uta stops me with a hand over mine. "There are only two. You can flee without being pursued."

"But…" He's telling me to leave? Isn't he the one who told me to be ready to kill? Not that I'm arguing, but isn't that hypocritical?

In a low voice, he reminds me, "It would be dangerous to reveal to Kanae your vulnerability, at the moment. She's searching for a meal. Be aware, Kiyoko. You may be skilled in imitation, but what a mockingbird does best is fly."

He doesn't give me time to process his words or actions, taking me by the hand and unraveling me from him. Then, gently, yet with clear intent, he shoves me towards a clear path. Recalling the consequences from the time I'd refused to run from the doves before, I take off full speed ahead.

* * *

Well isn't this an eventful chapter. Somehow, I imagine Kiyoko kinda like a strawberry that's slowly being dipped into chocolate. Is that strange? It's pretty accurate, though. Except it's not nearly as delicious. And now I'm craving chocolate strawberries... I really shouldn't do that to myself. I'm a desserts girl. I don't necessarily like all things sweet, but I'd say I like _most_ sweet things. I like the fancier desserts, though. I can be regular vanilla ice cream, but I'd take almost any other flavor over it first. Get what I mean? No? Well, regardless, I can't eat any ice cream that'll make my congestion worse. I'll just have to get well soon.

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	11. Abandoning the Nest

Well I'm embarrassed. After I posted the last chapter, someone was kind enough to point out to me that Kanae is _not_ French. She's German. GAH! I went and confirmed this on her wiki page and felt like a total fool. I'm thankful someone was attentive enough to point this out, however. As for the mistake, I'll be careful not to mention Kanae's nationality again as to avoid any more inconsistencies. Really, I should go back and correct the fact, but Mockingbird just doesn't sound as nice in German as it does in French. No offense to any Germans reading this! But well, that's that. I'll do my best to get my facts right in the future, but please bear in mind the original story is incredibly interwoven, long, and complex, so forgive me if I miss something.

Please enjoy the next chapter.

* * *

"And then the shop had to close down. Isn't that crazy?"

I satisfy Yui with a simple, "Yeah," rubbing my eyes she rambles on. Thanks to Uta, I didn't get more than a few hours of sleep last night. Even after I managed to finally find my way home, I had to go back to :RE to store my mask, and then the adrenaline from running from the doves kept me up another hour. I guess the ghoul investigators are aware of me now, even if Haise and his underling Urie really did keep silent.

I dig into my pocket and turn back on my phone that'd been off during class. Once it's started back up, it buzzes with a new message. The message that appears brings a grimace to my face, which causes Yui to stop for a second. Haise has finally texted me, and it has nothing to do with Hanako.

 _Mockingbird has been added to the list of ghouls for us to watch out for. Urie has begun investigating._

"What's wrong?" Yui wonders, concerned.

"Oh, Mom just told me to go shopping on my way home," I cough up a lie, about to slip my phone back away when it buzzes a second time, the message having been delayed. I stare at the words, my breathing slowing until it stops. When the letters have finally been comprehended in my brain, I snatch up my backpack. "I've got to go."

"Kiyoko? Hey, Ki-"

I'm already out of the room. Instead of heading to the lockers, though, I fly to the roof. After making sure I'm the only one up here, I close the door securely behind me and rip my phone up to my ear. The time that it rings seems to last an eternity.

The second he picks up, I rage, " _What do you mean Noriko Himura has been taken into custody_?"

"Precisely that."

"WHY?"

"Calm down, your mother is just fine right now. She was taken into custody under the suspicion that she possesses knowledge to a ghoul's whereabouts. If the interrogation reveals that she doesn't she'll be released."

I suck in a deep breath, running my hands through my hair. "How did this happen?"

"Urie found you in his investigation. He went to your house, but you weren't there." Ah, because I had clean up duty after class this week. I never thought that'd be a good thing. "He took your mother, and he's probably either waiting there for you or he's on his way to your school."

"Alright." So I have to get out of here. I reenter the building and start down the stairs, phone still at my ear. It isn't hard to imagine how he found me. I'm a registered human and he knows that I am one, and the school has it specifically noted that I'm a natural blonde. If they didn't, I'd be getting comments on how I shouldn't dye my hair every time I met a new adult in the school. My hair combined with my age and general location means I probably wasn't _that_ hard to find. "Why are you telling me all of this, though? You can't seriously feel that obligated."

He goes quiet on the other end. I wait, until, "It isn't a crime to be someone's friend. You shouldn't be tried for such a thing."

A grin tugs at the corners of my lips. Of course I don't deserve to be tried for that. What I do deserve to be tried for is killing that little girl. For killing Chisa. "Well, thanks for the heads up. Is there anything else I should know?"

"No. We don't have any information on her yet."

I nearly hang up, but a lingering question keeps me from doing so. "Haise...could you tell me about Aogiri Tree?"

He pauses. "Why are you curious about that?"

"The name's come up in my search," I tell him honestly. "Han- Black Cat never mentioned anything about them to me, so I don't really know what they are." At the school gates, I scan the area for any signs of ghoul investigators. Finding none, I pick up my pace away from the school. For now, I don't need a destination; I need distance.

"They're a dangerous group," he warns. "They're not anything you should get involved with if you can help it."

"I've heard that already," I sigh, "so tell me something I don't know."

"There isn't anything else to tell."

I scowl. "Fine. Then what about clowns?"

" _Who?_ " The tone of his voice suggests disbelief, not confusion. I slow my pace to focus on the conversation rather than walking.

"What's up? That's a completely different reaction than the one you gave for Aogiri Tree."

"If you're getting involved with them, stop it. Drop your investigation. Nothing good can come from it."

I pull the phone slightly away from my ear in response to the sudden sternness in his voice. Uta's really involved in something so serious? But he's so...well, _not_ serious. I dare say he's borderline reckless!

"Did you not know I was seen with one?" I ask. Then I flinch. Should I have said that? Did he know Uta was a clown?

"I was told you're a newly acknowledged ghoul to us investigators. I didn't ask what happened to put you on the map."

"If it makes you feel any better," I offer, "I didn't know I was with one, either. And again, I still don't know what they are. Care to enlighten me?"

He sucks in a breath on the other end. "Honestly, we don't know much about them, either. Far less than Aogiri. Their rise to power was somewhat recent, but they've existed for awhile. Other than that...we don't know any of their faces, but every one we've encountered is S rated, if not SS. Don't go any deeper than you already are."

"I don't have a choice."

"Kiyoko…"

Damn. Of course he knows my name. Urie found me. "But thanks for the info. You can sleep with a clean conscious knowing you didn't let me dive in blindly."

As I click off the phone, I shake my head. Haise's right, I'm getting in deeper than I'd bargained for. Yes, I wanted to be involved in their world, but this isn't just deep in it. It's the heart of it. But if I'd wanted to quit I should have done it before I pulled that trigger at Uta's shop. I can't dwell on the past. I can do that later, when there's no imminent threat.

Having gained the distance I want, I finally stop walking. Frankly, I have no idea where I am, but I should be able to figure it out once I find a street sign. Now that I have the distance, though, maybe I should start thinking about destination. Where am I supposed to go? Home's obviously off limits, and I can't go back to school. I'm sure Yui would let me spend the night, but she'd definitely get suspicious if I stayed over longer. I can't handle that many questions right now. Maybe I could...no, I can't drag Touka into this. I won't be responsible for her getting discovered. I need human sanctuary, someone who won't pry too much.

The answer becomes blatantly clear when I think about it. I dial the number and return the phone to my ear.

"Y'ello."

"Mami, hi. Do you think I could crash at your place for awhile?"

"Sure." There isn't a shred of hesitance in her response. "However long you need. Do you know where I live?"

"No."

She begins to recite her address, but without anything to write it down on, I interrupt. "Could you maybe just text it to me?"

"Yeah, no problem. See you tonight."

A few seconds after we've hung up, my phone buzzes with the address. I'm certain she won't mind me in the least, but I wonder how her parents will react. I'm coming to stay for an unknown period of time, and I've never even met them before. What choice do I have, though?

It takes me a good ten minutes to find a sign telling me where I'm at, and then another fifteen to find my way to the address on my phone. The apartment complex makes me hesitate. Clearly, Mami's richer than me, but by how much? I don't really have anything other than my own home to compare it to.

I step inside onto the sleek granite that is the lobby's floor. Unlike the complex where I live, the room is spacious and lit, with a few people bustling about. It feels more like a hotel than apartment place.

I'm about to call Mami again when familiar blue and black hair catches my eye. I waver my first step, but then head over the couch where she's lounging.

"...You asleep?"

"Nope." She opens her eyes, grinning up at me. "Welcome to my place!"

"Um, which apartment is yours?"

"Whichever one's open."

"Huh?"

"Dude, I own the place."

I blink, mouth frozen partially open. "W-wait, you mean-"

"My _dad_ owns the place. But I stay here when there's a free apartment, 'cause I get too much bitching when I'm at home."

" _How much money do you have_?"

"Never counted." She swings herself upright into a sitting position. "I'm assuming you don't mind living with me, since you asked, but I can only let you stay if we stay in the same place. I can't just give out a room for free, or dad'd freak."

"That's...fine," I stammer.

"Come on, then." She leaps to her feet and pushes something into my hand. My heart races at the touch of cold metal, but even before I open my fingers to see the key I've reasoned that there's no gun small enough to hide in one's palm. I trail after her. On the elevator ride (yes, there's even an elevator. I swear this place is too hotel-like) she asks, "Did you bring anything from home?"

I startle, feeling a bit thoughtless to have not thought about that. "Ah, no. I came straight from school."

"I'll bring some clothes then, if you don't mind," she yawns, leaning against the wall. "Our sense of style's a _little_ different, though. Oh, and there should be toiletries provided in the bathrooms."

"There're multiple?"

"Three, I think, in the one we're staying in."

"Seriously?" I have to pinch myself as not to gawk at her. She just grins toothily. When we step off the elevator, there are only four doors in the hall we enter. She opens the far one on the left, motioning dramatically for me to enter. When I do, of all the things that're there to make me pause, it's the chandelier. Under my breath, I mutter, "What is this, some fairytale castle?"

"Welcome to Mami's Mansion!" She shuts the door behind her and flops face-first onto the black plush couch. Her next words come muffled, her face buried in a pillow. "No un 'ill 'ell us whadda do 'ere."

"Sorry to trouble you." I doubt she hears me, though, considering how my voice is swallowed up by the immense space. I let down my backpack onto the floor and sit in a seat unusually comfortable. Oddly enough, I find myself missing the hard surfaces of the chairs at home.

* * *

So Mami's your rebellious rich kid. Is that a stereotype? I feel almost as though it is, but at the same time I feel like you'd have to dig around a bit to find good examples of it. Maybe I just haven't consumed a lot of media involved with those kinds of characters. Oh, you're wondering about Noriko? Well, I'm going to leave you only with the information mentioned in the chapter. However, as I look back on it, Kiyoko's life has entirely disintegrated, hasn't it? Both people she cares about have been disconnected to her. We'll have to just wait and see what that does to her.

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	12. Ruffled Feathers

Does anyone read Detective Conan? I really enjoy it, but dear god the series is **long**. It's almost breached one thousand chapters! And then there's me, on measly old chapter 130 something. I can't help looking at how much there is to go and getting discouraged. I mean, I'm eagerly waiting for Rachel to figure out Conan's true identity, and for Conan to finally find a way to go back to normal, and does that _not ever happen_? I'm dying for there to be more interesting character dynamics, because there's _sooo much promise there_! Ah, well, on another hand, this chapter comes in after a time skip of a month or so. Just thought I'd give a heads up, if you're reading this afore note.

Please enjoy the next chapter.

* * *

I stir the coffee in front of me, stomach twisting hungrily as I watch the short woman in front of me devour her sundae. When was the last time I ate in public? Maybe that time I ate with Yui at RE:? But did I even eat those sandwiches back then? I have a feeling I let her eat them for me. Even if I did eat them, though, that was what? Three, four weeks ago? The days kinda started blending together when I moved into Mami's place and stopped going to school.

The woman across from me pauses to sip her soda, then pulls a file out of her bag. She slips it across the table. She doesn't say a word as I open it, leaving me clueless until I see the pictures inside.

She's found her.

The first photograph I pull out is a little blurry, but it clearly shows a girl with a dark, feline mask. The angle is odd, but she's unmistakable. Her location, however, is indiscernible. A bridge, maybe? Among cars, certainly, but trucks instead of regular cars. And fire? Is that what those lights and shadows are?

"That was two days ago," Chie tells me through a mouth of ice cream. "A supply raid on a shipment of RC suppressants to the 23rd Ward. You wanted proof, and I got it."

"Yes, thank you." I slip out a second picture, then a third. None of them are perfectly clear, but they're all of her. She's wearing her mask in all of them. That doesn't matter, though. What matters is what she's doing, and who she's with. There aren't many shots with other people in them, but there are enough to tell she's with a group of ghouls. And the context confirms she's indeed with Aogiri, supporting the rumor that Uta had been hearing.

"Remember the payment."

"Things to photograph," I recall, glancing up. "I'd be glad to provide, but that's pretty vague."

"Yeeaahh," she agrees, lifting her camera. "I can't really tell you more than that, either. I like people's expressions, though. It's great when I take pictures of ghouls in action. It would be great if you'd let me tag along with you sometime soon, 'cause my main model is a bit sick."

"I'll call you when something's happening, then," I promise.

"I won't do you another favor until you do," she warns, pointing her spoon at me. I finish my coffee and smile. She's definitely weird, but I like Chie. I owe Kanae for introducing us. And, by extension, I owe Uta for introducing me to Kanae.

I leave my money for coffee on the table, done despite the cup not even being half empty. I've gotten too used to RE:'s coffee to enjoy any ordinary blend. "Sorry I've got to leave so quickly, but I've got an appointment with Uta."

She doesn't even notice, too busy with her dessert. I shake my head, containing my laughter while I leave. I shove aside a curly lock of black hair the wind blows into my face. It's been dyed for the past few days, since I can't very well go parading around with naturally yellow hair. Before I finally decided to dye it, I'd been confined to the apartment during the day. The curls I just added for extra disguise, since my hair is naturally fairly flat. Now, if I remember correctly, the meeting place was…

XX

 _BANG BANG BANG_

I reload the gun and fire again. _BANG!_ This time, I hit the target square in the forehead. I switch to aim at the heart and begin shooting. Although I can't quite seem to get it perfect, the holes in the target generally collect near where the vital organ would be as I finish the next round. As I drop the clip to load another, something catches my eye. I turn and jump, not having expected that thing to be a person.

"How long have you been there?" I demand, replacing the safety on the gun. I remove the earmuffs to hear his response.

Uta scratches the tattoo spiralling around his neck. "The past five minutes."

"You should say something, then!"

"I was curious to see how you've improved. Do you like the range?"

"Even if I didn't like it, it's not like I have another choice. Guns aren't exactly legal. You don't just find a shooting range while taking a stroll through the city."

"So you do like it."

"I don't," I huff. "I'd rather not be using a gun at all. Anyway, what'd you want to meet with me for? Am I attending another event?"

"You've been to enough of those," he informs me. I can't help but agree with him. There's been at least two, if not three events per week ever since Uta first invited me to that 'Pet' show. "There's a job for you today."

That's new. "A job?"

"There's someone some higher ups are looking to get rid of, but can't be bothered with themselves. It's an assassination."

My fingers clench around the gun in my hands, but I don't let my voice waver. "Why would I be called in for that?"

"Because they're curious about you." He steps closer to me, as usual disregarding personal space and coming closer than comfortable. I've grown used to it, though, so I stand my ground even when he's merely a foot away from me. "Appearing on multiple occasions accompanying a clown has gotten their attention."

"I still don't get that," I shake my head. "Everyone, ghoul or dove, seems to be amazed by you. What's so great about you?"

He blinks, but otherwise appears unaffected. "Do you not like me?"

I return his gaze, thinking. I admit he's been a lot of help, but it's because of him that I have blood on my hands. If he wasn't here, I wouldn't still be washing my hands with blood. "I could like you more."

"My apologies."

I snicker. "I didn't know you cared." As the words come out of my mouth, my heart squeezes. How long has it been since I've been with a person I mutually liked? I suppose there's Mami, but considering the amount of stuff I'm hiding from her... "Do _you_ like _me_?"

"If I disliked you, I wouldn't be helping you," he assures me.

"Thanks." I slip the gun into my borrowed purse. It barely fits. Mami's wardrobe is, for lack of a better word, unreasonable. All her clothes are thin, all of them questionable in either what's on them or what they lack, and her accessories all metal. And since I've a lack of personal attire, I've been forced to wear hers for the past month. With the dark hair and these clothes, I wonder if Hanako would recognize me if she saw me right now. "So," I ask, cocking my head, "how's this happening?"

For a second I almost think a smile tugs at the corners of his lips, but the next second I dismiss the idea. In the two months we've known each other, I've yet to see Uta smile once. "There's an undercover detective that's been digging too close to a certain ghoul's business. A party for his wife's birthday is coming up this Saturday, and that's where it is to happen. They decided the ghoul had to be in all ways unrelated to the business, and the man remembered you from when you accompanied me to his party last week."

"So, what? I crash the party?" I can't help but smile wryly at the idea.

"How you do it is up to you. Just don't get yourself caught."

"Where? What time?"

"He rented out a banquet hall, since it's her fiftieth. The party begins at seven p.m. and goes till midnight. It's highly formal, so you'll want to dress nicely."

The way he says it, I have to ask, "Are you not coming?"

"This is your job."

"What the hell?" I slap him hard in the chest, only to grow even more irritated when he doesn't budge. "How do you expect me to get this done, then?"

My aggression dwindles, though, when he grabs my raised hand roughly by the wrist. His wide, inky, bloody eyes bore into mine until I'm forced to avert my gaze. Still, a little flame of rage flickers in the pit of my stomach. When he speaks, I can just barely feel his warm breath.

"What do you want me to do?" he inquires, his velvety hair falling into his eyes. His piercings glisten, giving his face a calculating, machine-like facade. Our breaths mix between us while my brain hastily formulates an answer.

"I-I don't know," I growl, wrenching my arm away and taking a step back. "But I'm just an ordinary eighteen year old girl! You can't expect me to suddenly know how to pull off an assassination!"

He's the nerve to argue with, "You're far from ordinary."

"Because of circumstance!" I hiss. "Just...just get me into the place. I'll handle everything once I'm actually inside the building."

He doesn't respond and I anxiously shift my weight from foot to foot. I've gotten past not being able to believe what I'm saying, or what I sign up to do. Practically everything I do these days is something I wouldn't have dreamed of ever attempting half a year ago. However, that by no means means I'm comfortable with everything going on around me.

"Since it's your first time, I'll get you in," Uta finally consents. I have to stop myself from breathing a sigh of relief.

"Is that all you wanted to talk about?" Please let this conversation be over.

"For now."

"I'll see you Saturday, then." I start past him, glad to leave, but he holds up his arm to block me. I bite the inside of my cheek and glance up at him.

"If you succeed at this," he tells me, voice low, "you will be in demand for other jobs as well. Only a handful of ghouls are in this deep. Are you sure you want to be one of them?"

I scowl, jabbing him accusingly with my finger. "If you wanted to ask me that, you should have done it before you got me to kill that little girl!"

He drops his arm and I storm past him. I discard the earmuffs on the floor and swing open the door to the exit, only to be stopped by Uta's taunt.

"Show me the bird's wings aren't just for show."

So he still insists on referring to me as a bird. I'm admittedly getting a little tired of hearing that, even if my own mask is what created the nickname. I tap my fingers against my legs in indecision, then flip my head around to meet his eyes.

"I'll sing you a song that'll shut up your doubts. Just wait and see!"

* * *

A bit defensive there, aren't we, Kiyoko? Ah, well, I'd bet she's a bit high strung at this point with everything she's been going through. Anyway, now we know that Hanako really is with Aogiri, although I think Uta was a pretty trustworthy source to begin with. Kiyoko must've thought otherwise. And, uh...I actually don't have much to talk about today. I guess this was bound to happen at some point. Well, look forward to the next chapter. *evil grin* It should be quite thrilling.

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	13. The Night of the Party

Hehe...this is one hell of a chapter in my opinion. I suppose the next one might be more so, depending on how you look at it, but either way stuff is happening. How fun! Anyway...how's life guys? Frankly, I haven't much to talk about without spoiling the content of both this chapter and the next. That could be a good thing, though. Although I've gotten plenty of people saying they like these afore notes, some have wondered why they're so long. So I'll finish this one while it's shorter.

Without farther ado, I present to you Mockingbird chapter 13!

* * *

The dress Mami offered me consists of pale blue and white cloth, something surprisingly bright for her wardrobe. When I asked her why it was so different, she grumbled that she wore it to special occasions her parents dragged her out to. I didn't need her to again remind me that her parents are skeptical, to say the least, about her wardrobe.

I have to hold the hem of the dress up as I walk. Not only am I nervous about ruining such fine material, but I've never worn a long dress in my life! I haven't even left the apartment yet and I'm already tripping over it!

"You sure you don't want these?" Mami asks, dangling strappy black heels from her fingers.

"I couldn't walk in those," I excuse myself. Honestly, I probably could if I tried. It's not like they're all that high, but any lift that would make me unsteady wouldn't be good if I had to run.

"Fine." She tosses me reflective black flats instead, which I barely manage to catch. "Check to see if those fit."

I try them on. Like the dress, they're a tight fit, but nothing I can't handle. I'm used to wearing clothes I've basically outgrown. I take a peek in the hall mirror, brushing a stray strand of dark hair out of my face. Heck, _is it_ my face? Voluptuous black curls, cat-eye eyeliner, rouge, lipstick...I look more like some high-class actress than a poor, single-parented teenager. I guess that's kinda the point.

"So, when're you gonna introduce me to the guy you're dressing up for?"

"Huh?" I turn away from the mirror. "No, it's not a date."

"Well, duh," she rolls her eyes. "No one dresses like that for a date! But there's a guy at the party you're going to, right?"

There's Uta, I suppose, but he only got his hands on my invitation. "He won't actually be there."

"Ah! So there _is_ a guy!"

I wince. "Not like that."

"Whatever." Her tone makes it clear she doesn't believe me. "You look gorgeous. A real model. Now, you said the party started at seven, right?"

"Yeah."

"Get your butt out the door, then! You're gonna be late!" She shoves the purse containing my phone and gun into my hands and whirls me to face the door. Once I've opened it, though, she adds, "And, if you get the time tonight….could you maybe call Yui?"

I glance back at her. She acts indifferent, crossing her arms reclusively and tilting her head casually, but her voice hints to me that she's legitimately bothered. I promise, "If I have the time. What brought this on?"

"What brought this- Are you serious? Her best friend just up and disappeared on her for a month! Did you not consider how worried she'd be? This is _Yui_ , for crying out loud!"

I purse my lips. Yeah...I hadn't considered that. Sure she's crossed my mind on multiple occasions, but I've been too wrapped up in...everything…to really contact her. "If I don't call her tonight, I'll get to it tomorrow. If she's really in bad shape, I'm okay with you telling her where I am. I'd just rather not get her mixed up in what I'm going through right now."

Sighing, she waves for me to leave. I do. At the entrance to the building I hail a taxi. The entire ride, I lean my head carefully against the window (trying not to ruin the curls) and gaze at the passing scenery. The world is dim tonight, despite the fact that the sun has still yet to set. Clouds coat the sky in streaks, catching the last colored rays of day and turning them grey.

Suddenly, I'm tired. It's not like I was exactly excited to go to the party tonight, but I'll admit I had been interested in the high-society celebration. But now I can't even bring myself to be intrigued. With every passing minute, the reality of the gun in my purse weighs down on me harder and harder.

Habitually, I go to rub my eyes, just barely managing to stop myself and save the makeup Mami so carefully applied. My stomach twists. How horrified would she be if she found out what I was really doing tonight?

Dread swells in my heart when the car pulls to a stop. I dig around for the cash in my purse and pay the driver, my movements sluggish when I go to exit the car. Even once I have, I stand for a minute with the door open as if I could get back in. As if I could turn around and just not enter the building, just not attend the party.

I slam the door, cringing. I hold the invitation in my hand as I approach the guard, handing it over for him to examine. Apparently not overly suspicious, he simply glances at the contents before handing it back to me and ushering me inside.

The room is filled with quiet chatter, and people dolled up in their nicest. Men wear suits, women dresses...all of it's clothes I would have never dreamed of wearing, and yet I'm one of the many dressed in fine fabric. I can't shake off the strange feeling that gives me. Stranger still is the fact that I'm heavily reminded of all the ghoul gatherings I've been to. The difference between those and this is slim. If this were a masquerade, I'd be unable to tell the difference.

A server offers me their tray of champagne, which I readily decline. I'm underage, after all. Instead, I make my way to the buffet to nibble on some delicate finger foods. I'm feeling far from hungry, but the fact remains that I skipped the dinner Mami had brought to the room earlier today. Who knows? Maybe having something in my stomach will help calm my nerves.

Or, I suppose it could also make them worse.

I stop after a few olives and opt for a small glass of punch as I watch the crowd. No one seems to have noticed I'm not supposed to be here yet. I scan through each person until I come across one I recognize from a picture Uta showed me. No, it isn't my target, but his wife instead. For fifty, she appears to be incredibly well off. Had I seen her on the streets I would have thought her in her early thirties, at most. Her outfit serves to make her seem even younger, though, the neckline of the pomegranate dress sitting low, and a sharp sliver slicing up the side to reveal almost her entire leg. Her hair is pulled only halfway up so her dark brown locks still fall over her shoulders and back. From this distance, at least, I can't make out a wrinkle on her face.

"Doesn't it make you jealous?" a young woman beside me pipes up, stealing a creampuff from the bar with her hot pink fingertips.

"She's certainly beautiful," I admit, eyes flitting away from her. I'm not quite sure how to interact naturally in this situation.

"No, not that," the woman shakes her head. Her dangling earrings jangle audibly. "I've got looks enough to keep me from drooling over her like certain other girls I know. I meant the party. It's not like she's some politician's wife or something, and yet she get's all this for her birthday. My husband would never do something like this! I'd have to throw it myself!"

"It's quite elaborate," I agree. "She must have a strong relationship with her spouse."

She snorts. "Hardly. They act like they are in public, but even now the guy's upstairs with his lover. It's hardly noble of him to keep up this act of dragging her along."

I blink. This is my first time hearing of this. "Dragging her along? Does she not know?"

"Hasn't the faintest idea." The woman licks a crumb off her fingers before pushing back a strand of brown hair that's fallen out of her updo. "She might be haughty and confident, but my sister's incredibly clueless about these kinds of things."

"I see."

"That lover, on the other hand, knows _all_ about that bastard being married, and she screws him anyway! It pisses me off! I've been trying to find the right time to tell sis, but this is my first time seeing her since I found out. I can hardly do such a thing to her on her birthday! I'd be a monster!"

I almost laugh at her word choice. I'd so much rather break the news of her husband's affair on her birthday than do what I came here to do. I don't think I'd call a thing like she said 'monstrous'.

Huffing, the sister of the birthday girl snags another creampuff. "Guess I should apologize for ruining the party for you. Well, try to enjoy the rest of it if you still can." With a nod, she hops off to find her next victim to bug. As she's leaving, it occurs to me that I recognized her. I startle. That girl...is an actress in a popular drama, isn't she?

Ruffled by the thought, I absently grab a glass off the stray of a passing server to replace the punch I've finished. I don't realize it's alcoholic until I take the first sip, but I shake it off and continue to drink it. I've heard your moral compass tends to cloud when you've got alcohol in your system. If I'm lucky, maybe I'll be able to pull the trigger without too much guilt.

As I down the drink, my eyes wander to the doors leading to other rooms. That woman had said my target is upstairs, so where are the stairs?

Once I've finished my drink, I slip around the edges of the room and cautiously try every door to see if they're open. A few are, and I take a peek inside when they are. The first few I come across are storage closets, but as I'm opening the third one, a server approaches me and points me in the direction of the bathroom. I flush and thank him. When he's walked away, I check this last door I've found to be open.

Bingo.

After checking to see if anyone's paying attention, I slip inside and hurry up the staircase. As I go, I thank my foresight of forgoing the heels. My flats make noise enough. I slow at the top of the stairs, the quiet emphasizing the pounding in my chest. Am I really ready to do this? All on my own? Of my own volition? How am I going to get away? Sure, I have a silencer, but what about the lover I was told about? What do I do about her?

I remove the gun from my purse, attempting to ditch those thoughts as I listen for any signs of people. All I can hear is my own heartbeat. With every room I listen outside of, the sound reverberates louder in my ears.

 _Ba-dum….Ba-dum….Ba-dum...Ba-dum…._

Someone snickers, and all of the sudden the noise in my ears is gone. My fist clenches around the handle of the weapon, and I freeze to listen again.

"Stop it! That tickles! Someone will hear us!"

Someone does hear them. Left hand secure around the gun, I reach with my right to grab the handle. Slowly, ever so snailily, I twist the doorknob. It's locked.

Slipping a bobby pin out of my hair, I set to work at picking it. Every time the pin clicks against the brass, I flinch, stopping to listen. When I'm sure they haven't heard me, I begin again. I continue this pattern until the lock finally gives. I slide the pin back into my hair and ready my gun. Then I think it over and lower the gun behind my back. I don't know about anyone else, but I would scream the moment someone with a gun burst into the room. It'd be disastrous if they got the attention of the people downstairs. Taking a deep breath in, I swiftly twist the knob and swing the door open.

The couple on the couch hurriedly separate, the girl grabbing a discarded shirt to cover her bare chest. Meeting my eyes, the guy demands, "Who're-"

He clams up when I yank out the gun. Panic has barely set into their features before the gun recoils, and the guy slumps forward onto the floor. The girl beside the corpse stiffens to scream, but the next second, she's limp against the armrest of the sofa.

I gasp, the firearm dropping out of my hands. I cover my mouth with both of my palms. My entire body quakes violently as I gape at the two bodies in front of me. She wasn't my target!

 _Why did I shoot her!?_

* * *

Good job Kiyoko! You've completed your first independent job! You've also just killed two people, but... Anywho, it occurred to me just now that my last Tokyo Ghoul fanfiction actually ended at chapter thirteen. Here we are, and I don't even know if we're half way through yet! This story is beginning to get long! My recent stories have lately grown significantly from my earlier ones. They've been ranging from around 18 chapters to nearly thirty! Maybe it's just that I have more I want to write about. Or maybe I've gotten worse at compressing story lines. I hope that's not it. As for where this story is going, I've got an idea, but it's vague. It'll come together though, like it always does. I'm thrilled to figure it out with you guys!

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	14. Guilty not Guilty

And here's the continuation from the last chapter. A **lot** happens. I'll let you just read to find out what. So on a completely different topic, my eating habits. I feel like I haven't been eating enough lately. It just seems like the only actual meal I sit down to is dinner. All else, I just sort of have a snack meal a most. I can't help it. I never want to take the time to fix myself a legitimate meal, cause it just feels like a waste of precious time. My nutrition has just been on my mind lately, but what I really need to do is find a solution to it instead of just reminding myself that I need to eat more.

Please enjoy the story.

* * *

Once I've collected myself enough to move, I turn on my heel and fly back down the stairs. I only slow my pace towards the exit to prevent suspicions. On my way out, I grab another glass of champagne and down it before I reach the door. I leave the glass with the guard outside and take off down the street, too overwhelmed to think about hailing a cab. It takes all my self control not to vomit up what little content sloshes around in my stomach as I run. Someone stops me when we pass, his face concerned.

"Are you alright?"

I open my mouth, but I don't know how to answer. Frustrated, I shove him away and continue running, one hand clapped over my mouth. I keep going until my foot catches on my dress and I trip, hitting a wall hard.

Panting for breath, I clutch myself as I slide down to the ground. Again! I've done it again! I killed another innocent!

A fear flutters through my mind that if I stay on the ground much longer, I may never convince myself get up again. Shaken, I force myself back to my feet and uneasily continue on. My sore feet carry me, without the help of my conscious will, to the entrance of a certain shop. The sign declares it closed, but I barge in regardless.

"GAH!"

I leap good foot back when a demon face meets me when I open the door. Heart pounding, I stumble and fall unsteadily to the floor. My mouth gulps in air like a fish out of water as Uta takes off the mask.

"We're closed," he notifies me.

"Go to hell," I hiss breathlessly. I pick myself up off the ground and push past him to enter. He turns to face me, silent, while I gaze around the shop. Why did I come here? My eyes finally land back on the shopkeeper, who stares blankly at me with his mask in hand. "I did it. I killed the target like they wanted."

"Is that so?"

"I also killed his lover," I glower. "I shot her just because she happened to be there."

He lowers his gaze, setting aside the mask. I don't move as he approaches me. When he's close enough that he could grab me, he stops, his gaze boring into me. "You did what you should have done."

" _I'm turning into a murderer, Uta._ "

"You told me you were prepared."

"I told you I was _willing_. How could anyone _prepare_ for something like this?" I pound his chest with my first, gritting my teeth. "It's fucking _awful_!"

He grabs the hand I've stuck onto him, eliciting a growl deep in my throat. "I won't apologize."

"I'm not asking you to!"

"Kiyoko." My blood boils when he pauses, too aggravated to wait patiently. "This is just how ghouls live. We were all born murderers."

I stiffen, my eyes beginning to burn. I knew ghouls killed. I _watched_ both Hanako and Uta eat _people_. But after having just taken a life myself, after having killed three people by my own hand and will, those words hit me through a new filter.

"How do you stand it?" I choke. My hand trembles in his. "How can you live with yourself day after day? Do you really…just become numb to it?"

He confirms, "Some do. Some cease to view humans as people, and collapse in on themselves. Some don't know any better, were never taught that human life was sacred. Others endure the pain for the sake of surviving."

Hiccuping and sniveling, I hide my face in his chest. I must look hideous right now. When he lays a gentle hand on my head, I snap. I bawl on him without regard to the running makeup staining his clothes. His shirt wrinkles in the clutch of my fingers. And all the while, he just stands there and lets me cling to him.

Once it's somewhat out of my system, I sniff, "I miss Hanako. I want to see her again."

"You will," he assures me. "You're on the path to do so."

"I want to see her now!"

"The world won't spoil you, Kiyoko."

I push away from Uta, my hand rubbing the saltwater off my face and coming away blackened by mascara. "I know….I know, I just…."

"Are you better?" As he asks, he tilts my chin up to get a better view of my face. I don't understand him, or maybe it's myself I don't understand. His expression never changes, but sometimes it terrifies me. At other times, though, at times like this, something in his face is so comforting. So familiar. Maybe it's the black hair that's as dark as my best friend's, or maybe it's the way there's never hostility in his gaze. It could be the way his skin is so pale that it makes him appear somehow fragile. It could be the fact that I know he's far from it. "Kiyoko?"

Maybe it's the way his lips move when he says my name. Compared to how he dresses in hard black, his lips look incredibly soft, and they move so gracefully. Like they're dancing when he speaks.

And they feel incredibly soft, too, as I press my own lips against them. Some part of me in the back of my mind blares off warning sirens, but I ignore them. I'd rather not think right now. I just dwell on the fact that it feels wonderful to kiss Uta.

As I was the one to initiate it, I'm also the first to pull back. My eyes flutter open to find his half-lidded. Strangely, I don't feel the slightest bit embarrassed. Ever since I started delving into this half of society, I seem to have lost most of my shame.

Opening his eyes to how they are regularly, his repeats, "Are you better?"

"I'm better." I rub off the smudged black under my eyes, sniffing. Well, um….what now?

Answering my unspoken question, he beckons, "Come." He walks past me, taking me by the wrist when I don't immediately move to follow. I obediently let myself be dragged along. He brings me to the back room, to a sink, and wets a towel to offer it to me. Understanding, I take it.

My energy drains as I wash my face, my limbs becoming weak. The cold water seems to strip away my tension along with my makeup. When I'm confident my face is at least somewhat presentable, I hang the towel over the edge of the sink.

"I'm not going to apologize for what I did earlier."

"Good," he approves. "From now on, don't apologise for whatever you do."

I wipe a drop of water off my cheek. "I guess….I'm heading home, then."

"Shall I escort you?"

"I'll be fine."

"Your feet say otherwise."

I'd stopped paying them any mind, but now that he mentions them I'm acutely aware of how much they sting. I slip one out of its shoe to check the bottom of my foot, grimacing. That's how he knew. He could smell the blood. How long was I wandering before I came here?

"How do you plan on helping?" I wonder. "Are you offering to carry me the entire way home?"

"I happen to have a driver's license."

"Oh." That does change things. "I'll take you up on that, then."

He invites me to walk with him, then urges, "Be sure to tend to your injuries once your home. Bleeding so openly is as good as tempting any ghoul you encounter."

I snicker tiredly. "What, you wanna taste?"

He halts. I nearly crash into him, stepping back hastily and sending needles of pain up my leg from my foot. His head turns so I can see his eyes, and what I see turns my blood to ice.

"I've yet to eat this month, Kiyoko," he clarifies in a gravelly voice. The change from his usual smooth tone convinces me to take another step back despite the pain it causes. "Do not make it any more difficult for me than it already is."

Gulping, I nod. "Understood."

Neither of us speak again, not even when he drops me off in front of the apartment complex. I bow as he drives away. Then, hands clenched tight around my purse, I limp back into the building. The woman from behind the desk asks if I need assistance getting to my apartment, but I turn her down. I get the feeling she thinks I must be drunk. It's actually entirely possible I might be.

Now I'm infinitely thankful for the luxury of the elevator. I'm at the door within two minutes, slipping the key into it and tumbling inside. When I flick on the lights, a moan rumbles from the couch.

"Mmm….Kiyoko? You back?"

I throw myself into the nearest chair, ripping of the shoes and finally taking the time to examine the damage to my feet thoroughly. Most of the breaks in the skin are close to the toes, but the soles of my feet are painfully red. Honestly, they aren't bleeding all that much, but the fact that I wore them hard enough to bleed at all is concerning enough. As I'm testing out the tenderness of different areas of my feet, Mami stretches, cracking opening her eyes. It takes her a second to realize what I'm doing.

"Hey, hey! What'd you do?" She flips herself upright, staring wide-eyed at my injuries. She puffs her hair out of her face. "Girl, I've never seen anyone wear their feet so bad in flats before! That's gotta hurt!"

"Sorry, I probably ruined your shoes."

"No worries!" She shakes her head vigorously. Eyes on my feet, she orders, "Wait for a second, and we'll take care of that." She shoots to her feet, at first tottering from the blood rushing out of her head, then grabbing the phone next to the TV. A few minutes later, there's a knock at the door. Mami answers and comes back in with a first aid kit.

"I swear this place is a hotel," I grumble as she extracts the bandages.

"That's kinda the idea," she admits, squeezing some sort of cream onto her fingers. "Now, I don't know if this is gonna hurt, but I think I'm doing this right. Sorry," she grins sheepishly. "This is kinda my first time with this sort of stuff."

"Don't sweat it." I regret those words the second she starts applying the cream, and even more when she begins wrapping it. She cringes right along with me when she pulls the wrap to tightly. Eventually, we end up with both of my feet loosely enclosed in sagging bandages and cold from the over-application of cream.

As we both grimace at the not-so-skilled work, Mami concedes. "Yup, this sucks."

"Doesn't matter," I sigh, biting my lip. "I'll sleep out here tonight. Hopefully it'll be better in a day or two and I can be walking fine again."

Mami brings me blankets and a pillow and tells me not to worry about sleeping in the dress, or the damage done to the shoes. I thank her and she heads off to get herself ready to sleep after flipping off the light. I situate myself on the couch, elevating my feet on the far armrest. In the dim lighting, I roll my foot around gently to study the bandaging. The last time I was wrapped up like this, it was Mom who tended to me. I remember that night I ran home breathless after the night out with Hanako, and my arm was bleeding from when I proved myself human. She'd been so shocked! I can only imagine the expression she would have worn had she figured out I made the cut myself!

It's been so long since I've seen her. Until now, the longest I've been away from Mom was a few days. I think. Actually, had I ever been away from home for more than overnight before? I can't help but laugh to myself. I would have imagined I'd grow homesick quick, but I've barely thought about anything but Hanako for the past few weeks! Now, though…

I rustle around in the purse, pulling out my phone and staring at it. I can hardly just call my mom. As far as I know, she's still in protective custody of the ghoul investigators. Our home and home phone are probably still being monitored, and it's not like she has herself a cell phone. And if she did, it'd be monitored.

I hold the phone to my ear and let it ring. He doesn't pick up. Sighing, I lower it, only to have it startle me by ringing without my prompting. I answer.

"It's been awhile."

"It has," I agree. There hasn't been any reason for me to call Haise, and apparently there hasn't been any reason for him to call me.

"What is it you wanted?" he asks. "I'm afraid we haven't seen much of Black Cat, and we haven't been able to confirm anything except her connection to Aogiri."

"I didn't call about Ha...her," I confess, rubbing my eyes. "I'm...wondering about my mom."

"Oh! Of course! Noriko's just fine."

"She still with you guys?"

"Well, yes," he confirms, "but she's still allowed to go to work. At all other times, though…"

"As long as she's fine."

"How've you been?"

How've I been? How else but horrible? "What does it matter to you? Are you still feeling guilty?"

"It's just...you sound like you've had a rough day. Or night, I guess."

I can't help but laugh to that. "Yeah, you could maybe say that. What? Were you thinking I was having the time of my life hiding from your colleagues? Becoming an honorary ghoul?"

His voice soft, he apologizes, "Sorry. Life must be hard for you right now."

"Damn right it is."

"If it would help…" he begins. "If it would help, I could, maybe, arrange for you and Noriko to meet."

My eyes widen. "Seriously?"

"It couldn't be for long, but I think it'd be doable."

"If you could do that…!" I wouldn't forgive him or anything, but, "I'd be seriously grateful!"

"I can arrange to escort her to school on Monday, and you could meet us when we're away from the building. Or we could pick you up, since we'll be driving."

"Are you sure no one would figure us out?"

"I'll be careful to keep that from happening."

My hand covers my mouth, as if to refuse the fact that I'm smiling. Like the smile doesn't exist if it's covered. I should still be distraught after killing two people, but somehow….somehow, I'm happy. And it feels fantastic after sulking for so long.

* * *

So yeah. Lot's of stuff. Did you catch it all? I could easily separate this one chapter into three individual whole scenes that all ended up flowing together. Someone asked me earlier if this was going to be a romance and this is all I can say: There will be elements of it, if this chapter wasn't enough to point that out. I thought I should only confirm it after it came up in the story. All information farther than that my lips are sealed to. You'll just have to read the rest of it to find out if it goes anywhere.

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	15. Interlude

So here's the deal. After I finish writing this story some time in the future, I'm thinking about taking a break from this website to focus on writing an actual original story. See, I have this thing on my list of things to do before I turn twenty (the only thing on that list), and that thing is to publish a book. If I want to do that, I should probably get to work. I've started this one fantasy book about an ice dragon named Cia, which I really like, but there're also two ideas I've yet to start on that I've been considering pursuing. There's one that's sort of a futuristic take on Alice in Wonderland, and another that's a supernatural story about paper dolls and a girl with a strange power. I know I'm not giving you much to go off of, but I'm curious. Do any of these stick out to you? I'd appreciate if you let me know.

Well, onto the story.

* * *

I hadn't been thinking about my feet when I'd promised to meet in two days, but I certainly am when Monday morning finally rolls around. When I insist that I have to go out, Mami offers me the softest shoes she owns, but I have to turn them down. She's at least half a foot size smaller than me, and I can't deal with that much pressure around my feet right now. Instead I throw on the one pair of tennis shoes I brought with me to this apartment and rush out of the building as fast as I can. Two nights ago, Haise agreed to pick me up a block from where I'm living at around six fifteen.

The cold of early morning does me little good, and my feet even worse. I arrive at the designated street corner five minutes before the appointed time, and am then stuck shivering in my sweatpants and jacket. The temperature bites at my injured limbs, and I'm unable to move to warm them because of the stabbing pain they gift me with when I walk. I'm _so_ glad Haise's bringing a car!

After thoroughly freezing, a car eventually pulls over. I hesitate, tinted windows preventing me from seeing the occupants, until the front window rolls down to reveal a boy with hair both black and white. He smiles and nods to the back seat. I suck in a breath of the chilling morning air and whip open the door. The second I see the face of the passenger, I scramble into the back seat and slam the door behind me. Not even a second later I'm wrapped up in familiar arms.

"Thank goodness you're okay!" Mom weeps.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," I promise, returning her death grip. The car pulls away from the curb as we embrace. "What about you? Have they been treating you alright?"

"About as well as a prisoner can be treated. I'm glad I still get to see my wonderful students, at least! Now tell me. Have you been eating well? Do you have shelter over your head? And good heavens! What on _earth_ are you wearing?"

I snicker. "I'm living well, I promise! The clothes...well, they were what's available."

"And your hair!"

"I'd be found pretty quick if I wandered around with blonde hair, wouldn't I?" I reason, tugging at a strand. "Normally I curl it, too. I didn't exactly have time for that this morning."

"Well then." Finally, she sits back, but her hands remain clenched on my shoulders. "Now that that's settled, I suppose I should ask about the ghoul investigator in the front seat."

I wilt. "Um...you see that's...a bit…"

"My name is Haise Sasaki," he introduces himself, glancing at us in the rearview mirror. "As for my connection to your daughter, you could say that I feel guilty for getting her involved with ghouls more than she already was."

At that, Mom glares at me. "You aren't getting yourself into any trouble, are you? With Ha-" I cover her mouth before she can say Hanako's name, eyes flicking pointedly at Haise before landing back on her to see if she understands. When she seems to, I lower my hands. She continues, "Without anyone to protect you, I'm not sure I'm alright with you meeting with ghouls."

"I can't find her if I don't," I state resolutely. "And besides, I've found someone else who's been sort of my...benefactor."

"You're talking about No Face, aren't you?" Haise interrupts from the front seat.

I purse my lips before responding, "Possibly."

"Didn't I tell you to ditch the clowns?"

"You did. I didn't." From where I sit, I can clearly see his hands tense around the steering wheel. "It isn't any of your business. I don't plan on telling a dove like you anymore than I have to, alright?"

"I'm trying to help you!"

"And I'll thank you for that! Without your help, who knows when I would have seen Mom again? But I can handle myself. Whether it's Aogiri Tree or the clowns, I'll figure something out, okay? At the moment, I'm pretty sure the only group I'm in danger from is the one you're a part of."

"Kiyoko, sweetie." Mom's gentle tone brings my attention back to her. She looks intently into my eyes. She always does this when she's afraid I'll lie. "Are you getting into something dangerous?"

My mouth gapes open, but my answer comes delayed as I think it over. Eventually, I nod. "Yes. It's dangerous."

"Why?"

"Because I want my best friend back." As I say those words, I shock myself. I...I didn't just kill to kill, did I? However selfish it may be, I pulled that trigger those three times with a reason. I pulled it out of fear. Fear that I would fall apart without Hanako. Fear that we would never see each other again.

And if ever there was a reason people killed throughout all of history, wasn't it fear?

Even if that doesn't make it alright, my chest lightens at the thought. Perhaps I'm not so monstrous after all.

Mom sighs, going in to hug me again. This time her embrace is much softer. "Try not to get yourself hurt." I nuzzle into the crook of her neck. Her skin smells the same as always: like flowery perfume. "And when you find that girl, give her a harsh scolding for worrying the both of us like this, okay?"

"Definitely," I mumble.

"Ms. Himura," Haise pipes up. "We've arrived at the school."

"Thank you for this, Haise," she bows her head. "I'm sure we've caused a fine young lad like you plenty of trouble, but I can't express gratitude enough for letting me see my daughter."

"Please, I'm only doing the decent thing. There's no need for you to thank me." I swear I catch his reflection turning red in the mirror. "Anyway, we can't linger for long. I need to hurry and drop your daughter off so I can return within the right time frame. It wouldn't be good if my colleagues found out about this detour."

"Of course." She kisses my forehead, squeezing my hands reassuringly. "Kiyoko, don't let me lose anymore people precious to me. Promise me."

"I promise."

"Good, I'll hold you to that. Don't expect to get any forgiveness from me if either of you go to the afterlife before me," she winks.

I grin, blinking back the tears. With a final squeeze of my hands, she slips out of the car. As soon as the door slams shut behind her, the tears spill over. I bite my cheek to resist the threatening sobs and stare out the window at her back. This'll probably be the last time we see each other for quite some time. Haise can't keep doing these things for me, and it's likely he'll probably stop wanting to after a while. Without him, I don't have any way to contact her.

"Is it okay if I drop you off where I picked you up?" Haise wonders.

"Yeah," I force out. My voice sounds gruff in my own ears.

"I actually almost drove past you when you were waiting. I didn't recognize you at all with that hair and those clothes. Your disguise is pretty foolproof, 'cause I definitely wouldn't have known it was you if we hadn't met multiple times before."

"Haise, shut up."

Maybe it's because he realizes I'm crying, but he listens. He doesn't say another word. My feet sting more than ever on the ride back, even though they're lifted safely off the floor of the car. When we pull up to the curb I'd first been waiting at, Haise starts, "I-"

"No," I stop him. "Whatever you're saying, I'll probably just disagree with it. I'm truly grateful, though. Really, I am. But look at you. You're a dove, but really... I tolerate you, but maybe it's because I pity you. You're missing most of the years of your life, right?"

He turns around in his seat, eyes wide. They aren't wide with surprise, although there's admittedly a pinch of it there. Instead, they're full of innocent curiosity. "How did you know that?"

"Because I know some of the people who knew you." That must be it, why I can stand to have him around despite my parting from Hanako being primarily his fault. He reminds me of Hanako, because Touka reminds me of me. She lost Kaneki, he's gone beyond her reach, and to her it feels like all she can do is look on. Maybe it also scares me, though, because he doesn't even remember her. But, "I think they'd be glad to know you're still such a kind person."

While he contemplates this, I exit the car and start back towards the apartment complex. My face I keep set in stone so I don't wince with every step. It seems I missed the traffic of workers coming out of the building on their way to their jobs, because the lobby is empty when I enter save for the woman behind the counter. I nod to her, and her to me, before I enter the elevator.

The first thing I do when I've reached the apartment is plop onto the couch and kick off my shoes. Next comes the socks, then the bandages. The wounds don't seem to have reopened, thankfully. I had begun thinking they had on the way back.

"You hungry?" Mami yawns, trudging out of her room. With the way her hair sticks out in every direction, it's obvious she's just woken up. She must have went back to sleep after I left.

"Shouldn't you have been getting ready for school?"

"That early? No way in hell." She picks up the phone and calls for room service. When she hangs up, she ambles into the kitchen to make herself tea. As she's heating up the water, she turns to me. "Oh, I've been forgetting!"

She grabs a white envelope sitting atop the microwave and walks over, holding it out for me to take. I do take it, and flip it over looking for a name. There's none. "What's this?"

"Apparently it was left for you at the front desk a few days ago. The girl told the clerk to give it to whoever was living with me, so it was given to me to give to you. I should've given it to right away, but then you came home with feet looking like that and it slipped my mind." Having said all she wanted to, she makes her way back to the boiling water to pour it. Confused, I tear open the seal and remove the folded paper inside. As I unfold it, I furrow my brow, growing ever more puzzled. There's no writing! It isn't until it's entirely opened that I find two thin words scrawled on the center of the paper.

 _stop it_

After staring at it for a second, I drop the envelope and rummage about me for the school uniform I first came to this apartment in. Once I've found the skirt, I dig a crumpled ball out of its pocket. I smooth out the old note and set it on the coffee table next to the new letter.

I was right. The handwriting's the same.

I don't bother to hide the grin on my face as I realize it. This is from Hanako! This means she's been keeping tabs on me, doesn't it? How else would she know that I'm living with Mami? The 'stop it' must be referring to my involvement with ghouls. She must've begun hearing about me!

I chuckle. That idiot! She should have known that sending me this would only encourage me! Now I know I'm on the right track! If I continue doing what I'm doing, she'll have no choice but to see me again!

Pleased, I meticulously refold the paper to how it originally was and slide it back in the envelope for safe keeping. It's just a matter of time. I'm coming for you, Hanako, and soon. And when I find you, I'm not gonna let you off easy for taking off on me!

* * *

Yay Hanako! It's been awhile since we've heard from her, hasn't it? I miss writing about her. I''ve written about her a _lot_ , to say the least. I mean, my other Tokyo Ghoul fanfiction is an alternate timeline with Hanako starring as the main character. And outside of what I've written on this site, I've not only written stand alone snippets revolving around her, but I've also drawn her countless times. I guess you could say she's one of the favorite characters I've written, if not my all time favorite. I also adore Kiyoko, of course. If I didn't, this story wouldn't exist! I look forward to continuing the story with her.

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	16. Yui and a Complication

My head hurts today, so be thankful I'm posting. Looking at this screen does not make me happy. Nor does proof reading. I wouldn't post except that I didn't post yesterday when I had originally planned to. Aren't you guys glad I love you and my writing? My reason for the delay was because I was having a hard time getting the time to write, so I actually had to finish the chapter just today. I hope you enjoy it.

Without farther ado, Chapter 16.

* * *

My chopsticks balance precariously atop my soda bottle as I carry it with my bowl to the sink. Once I've successfully sat them down, I turn on the faucet and begin washing my bowl. While I'm at it, Mami tosses her own dishes in the bubbly water for me to clean. We've come to an unspoken agreement that I clean up after the meals, whether I make them, she makes them, or she orders them. Before I started doing this, she'd just let the dishes pile up until her cleaning lady came by.

"You still haven't called Yui," she notes, leaning against the granite counter.

"I didn't have the time," I lie. Truthfully, I just let it slip my mind again. She catches this immediately, though.

"You had plenty of time yesterday," she accuses, "lazing around. You only went out once in the morning."

I sigh, setting my bowl down to dry before moving onto hers. "I'll call her when I'm done with this, then." Who knows when I'll get the chance again? I have no say in when I'm called on. It wouldn't surprise me if Uta rang me up again today with yet another thing for me to attend, whether it be with him or on my own.

Ugh. Uta. Let's not think about him right now. If I think about him, I'll think about what I did to him that night.

"You'd better call," Mami threatens. "She's been moping around the school like a zombie for the past week! She really ruins the atmosphere of the classroom!"

"Like you liked that atmosphere to begin with," I tease.

Mami grins. "Seriously, though. When are you going to come back to school? People are saying you transferred."

I pause. Then, making a point to keep my eyes focused on my work, I state, "I have no plans on returning at all, at the moment."

Mami doesn't respond, but I can feel her eyes searching me. Finally, she claps me lightly on the shoulder and makes to leave the room. Under her breath, she grumbles, "What did you get yourself _into,_ girl?"

I pretend I didn't hear, and she leaves without another word. I quickly finish the dishes and call Yui's number. It isn't even to the second ring when she picks up.

"KIYOKO!" I inch away from the deafening voice on the other end of the line, cringing. "THAT'S YOU, ISN'T IT?"

"You're going to make my ears bleed," I scold, gradually bringing the phone back to my ear. When she speaks again, her voice has gone so soft I can barely make out what she's saying.

"Sorry. Don't hang up."

"If I'd planned on hanging up right away, I wouldn't have called you." I prop my hip against the counter. "And I should be the one apologizing. I know I must have shocked you when I disappeared like that."

Her voice finally reaches a volume level of normality. "Yeah you did! Geez! You never responded to any of my calls! Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

"I have an eyewitness report saying you've been a zombie at school."

"Damn right I've been!" she huffs.

"Anyway, I just wanted to call and assure you that I'm fine. I have my reasons for ditching school, and I promise they're nothing petty." Well...I don't think they are, anyway. "But I can't contact you regularly, okay Yui? I've gotten myself mixed up in some things I don't want you to be a part of."

"I know!"

What? "You know?"

"Yeah! You've got some ghoul on your tail, don't ya?"

I straighten. "Yui, where did you hear this?"

"The first day you were missing, I got called into the office. There was this handsome ghoul investigator there who said that you were in danger and needed to come under protection, but they couldn't find you! He wanted to know if I knew where you were, but of course I didn't! Oh, but you should have seen the investigator! He probably wasn't all that much older than us, and he was hella good looking. I think his name was Urie, and-"

"Yui!" I cut her off. "You can't, under any circumstances, let him know I contacted you!"

"Huh? Why?"

"I….I can't say. Just trust me. It won't be good if he catches me!"

"But they only want to protect you," Yui argues. "Think about it! If that ghoul caught you, you'd be nothing more than that night's dinner! And think about how lucky you are to have such a hottie to protect you!"

"Yui." I rub my forehead, my brain hurting from thinking too hard. "Just. Please. I trust you, okay? Trust me."

"But…."

" _Yui._ "

"...Fine. Not a word. But in exchange, can't you at least tell me where you are? Or how you became a ghoul's target in the first place?

"No, I can't."

" _Why not_?" I startle at her sudden rage. "You said you trust me, right!? Then confide in me!"

"You'll be in danger if I let you get close!"

"I don't care! I'm your friend! Let me help you! Or at least let me know what's going on!"

"This is why I didn't want to contact you!" She falls silent on the other end, and I know my words have hit her hard. I should have worded it differently, said it was a bad idea to call her instead of saying I didn't want to, but it's too late to take back what's been said. "Yui...I trust you enough that I did call you, even if it took me this long, so you can't tell, okay? I just couldn't leave you hanging like you were. You _are_ my friend, and I can't do something like leave a friend wandering around half dead. So please, cheer up a little. There are people besides me, too, who don't like seeing you so depressed. Can't you please just take it easy knowing I'm safe?"

When she doesn't respond immediately, I begin to chew my lip nervously. Finally she snaps, "I'm not happy about it."

I release my breath. "Thank you! I can't make any promises, and I can't specify any time, but I'll call you again in the future. Be good and wait for that, alright?"

"I'm not a dog at your beck and call."

"I never said you were."

"Fine. I'll be good and wag my tail for you, so I'd better get that call sometime soon."

"I'll call you later, then," I conclude.

"I'm not about to end this phone call after all this time, you know?" she pouts.

"Good-bye, Yui." I end the call, putting the phone face down on the counter and heaving a huge sigh. I feel like I've been sighing a lot lately.

"She sure chewed you out good, from the looks of things."

I glance up to find Mami leaning casually against the doorway to the kitchen, her arms crossed. From there, she stares me down with an all-knowing look in her eye. I run my fingers through my hair and collect my bearings.

"She needs to become a cop when she's older. I can already see her grilling suspects in the interrogation rooms."

"That'd suit her," Mami nods, grinning a lopsided grin. "What happened over the phone, though? Who's the dude trying to catch you you mentioned?"

I click my tongue. This delinquent must've eavesdropped on the entire conversation. "Nobody good," I wave off.

"You'd be in bad shape if he found ya, huh?" she deduces. When I nod, she asks, "Is that why you dyed your hair?"

"Pretty much."

"Annnnd what about the guy who dropped you off here the night of the party?"

"He's-" I pause. "Wait, how'd you know about that?"

Suddenly that asymmetrical smile of hers looks mischevious. "A certain employee saw you and it came up while we were talking yesterday. So it _was_ a boy you were with!"

"N-no, it-"

"Yes it was. You said 'he' just now."

I cringe. "That was a slip of the tongue."

"Yeah, uhuh. You liar. You don't have to tell me if he's involved in whatever you've got going on, but tell me about him! You two got a little something going on between you?"

I shove away the memory of the kiss. "No."

She snaps her fingers, startling me. "Aha! You're averting your eyes! What are you hiding?"

"Mami!"

"Stop whining and spill it already! The lady I was talking with said he was driving a real sleek, black, foreign car. Even if it wasn't a supercar, she said it had to of been expensive! Have you gotten yourself a sugar daddy or something?"

I flush. "Of course not!" I mean, yeah, I'd noticed that his car was nice, but that had been pretty much the farthest thing on my mind that night!

"Then correct me! Who is he to you?"

"Um, well," I fumble, not really sure how to explain it. How was it I referred to him when I was talking to my mom? Benefactor? But doesn't that reveal that he's involved in what I'm getting myself into? "See, he….um...he's not _that_. He's just a close acquaintance of mine I met after the party. He offered me a ride home when he noticed me feet were injured."

Mami snickers. Sirens go off in my head at the sound, warning that I must have said something wrong. "He's important enough for you to meet him _after_ the party?"

"T-That was just coincidence!"

"And he noticed your feet? Like you'd fess up to having hurt yourself to someone you weren't close to! And if you didn't tell him yourself, he must've been paying _really_ close attention, because the way you walked these past few days, no one would've been able to tell you were in pain unless they were studying you head to toe."

Damn it! Why is she so observant? I can't very well tell her he smelled the blood!

"So?" she pushes. "Who is he?"

"He's...uh…."

 _Ding, dong_.

Relief flooding through me, I suggest, "W-We should get the door."

She continues to stand where she is, expression suspicious, until I pass her to reach the front door. Both her earlier questioning and the continuous periodic ringing of the doorbell encourage me to welcome the distraction as quickly as possible. As I twist the knob, Mami asks, "Who is it?"

"Did you not order room service?"

"Idiot, we just ate! Why would I order room service?"

As she finishes speaking, I finish opening the door and freeze. A vaguely familiar, dark haired subordinate with two moles under his left eye stands situated in the hall, his hand lifted with identification as if I didn't already know who he is.

"Kiyoko Himura," he begins, shocking me from my stupor. Able to now move, my body begins to shake. I reflexively step back away from him, but I know there's nowhere to run. Damn it! Hanako always used to be the one to get me out if I was ever cornered! What am I supposed to do on my own? "I am ghoul investigator Urie Kuki. You'll have to come with me for questioning under suspicion of aiding a ghoul."

* * *

Well would you look who it is. Welcome back to the story, Urie! I'm sure Kiyoko is absolutely _delighted_ to see you again. I figured it was due time for his reappearance. While we're on the topic, I wonder about the other investigators from the quinx squad. I wonder if we'll ever see them. Meh. Who knows. It depends on whether or not there's a spot for them. Honestly, though, Urie's probably my favorite from the quinx squad, other than obviously Haise. I just can't say I've taken a liking to any of the girls, although they aren't bad characters. The ukaku user I like, but he isn't developed as much as the other characters I feel. For an obvious reason. I have to wonder how much longer :RE is going to continue. I imagine it has to be close to the end, by now. I'm seriously anticipating the grand finale of the series!

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	17. Into the Nest of the Doves

So Kiyoko was caught last chapter. That's a place to begin, right? Just to recap, Urie found her at Mami's apartment after she got off the phone with Yui. That pretty much sums up all of last chapter, doesn't it? And that leads us to the beginning of this chapter. Honestly, I haven't the faintest idea what to talk about right now, so I'm just gonna let you guys get to reading.

Enjoy.

* * *

The room is deceiving. Warm sunlight, the rays of a vivid sunset, stream in through the large window. The couch beneath me is flexible leather, and a cup of steaming green tea waits for me on the small table in front of where I sit. It's like a room of a friend who invited me over to chat. What isn't deceiving is the cold glare of the investigator sitting on the couch parallel to the one I'm on. The two of us dwell in silence, his gaze never diverting from me. My eyes, on the other hand, flutter about in an attempt to concentrate on anything but him.

I jump out of my skin when he suddenly says, "There's no way out except the door."

I reign in my eyes and force them to watch the steam rising off the tea. "I wasn't…. I just wondered. Why interrogate someone in a room like this?"

"Because there are no cameras here." He folds his arm over his chest, his feet planted firm on the floor. Somehow I get the impression of a security guard from him. I get the message, though. He's the one with the power. "Although I brought you in for assistance of ghouls, my coworkers are under the impression that you're merely a witness. So you get these luxuries. However, I can change that at any time."

"Go ahead," I provoke, steeling myself. "I won't talk."

"It's to your benefit if you do."

"I don't care."

"Now listen." He jerks to his feet, his eyes daggers. "Surely you understand your situation. You are in no position to be refusing me, Kiyoko. If you cooperate, you'll be released with your mother, and your record will even remain clean. If you don't, I will resort to treating you as a captured ghoul." Somehow, the concept of being treated like a ghoul amuses me. I lower my head to hide the grin tugging at the corners of my mouth. He sees it anyway. "Did I say something funny?"

"Treat me like a ghoul?" I lift my head, smiling. "I already am one."

He slams his fist against the table. "Don't mess with me!"

"Tell me, how did you find me?"

"I have no reason to-"

"He was keeping an eye on your friend, Yui Miyamoto." Both Urie and I pivot to face Haise, who closes the door behind him with a click. "He knew the moment you called her, and was able to track the signal to figure out where you were at. It didn't take long to get there since he was in such a hurry, and all he likely had to do was ask around to find out who you were living with."

"Don't interfere!" Urie's voice, although it had been irritated before, has risen to rage in the face of his superior. "She's a criminal! And as such I have the right to interrogate her!"

"You took her into temporary custody under the guise of a witness," Haise points out. "That's hardly criminal."

"But you know-"

"You are unfit to interrogate a witness like this, Urie. You would be better off being gentle with her, rather than threatening her, and yet you've already let your temper best you. I already talked things over with Shirazu. He agrees that I would be better to talk with her." He smiles innocently. "Would you go against the order of your squad leader?"

Urie doesn't say a word, shaking where he stands. He sits back down, though, indicating his submission. Seeing this, Haise joins Urie on the couch across from me.

"My name is Haise Sasaki," he introduces, extending his hand. Slowly, I reach out and take it. So that's the card we're playing. I guess he really will keep that promise he made that day in the cafe. "I believe you've already met my colleague, Urie."

"I have," I confirm stiffly.

"I apologize for his behavior. I'm afraid he's not used to handling girls," he laughs. Urie flinches beside him. "But," he returns to a serious tone, "he's right about your situation. Kiyoko, you've been witnessed not only amicably together with someone you knew was a ghoul, but from what we've gathered, you've been quite close to her. It's only reasonable to assume you've given this ghoul, code named Black Cat, sanctuary. Even if we've yet to gather solid evidence, your failing to report her species is enough to arrest you on its own. Must I also bring up the sightings of you with a certain SS rated ghoul?"

I keep my mouth shut. At first I plan to keep my mouth closed until he continues, but a curious question raises in my brain like a bubble, just begging to pop forth. "Would you tell me...what rating is Black Cat? I can't exactly deny that I was with her to the two of you, so I won't try to hide it, but I'm actually pretty unfamiliar with the technical stuff about ghouls. I'm just now starting to understand most of this ghoul stuff."

"That information is classified," Urie growls. Haise holds a hand up to calm him, but this serves to further annoy the investigator. He does, however, shut up.

"Black Cat is officially listed as a class A. However, if we were to report the incident where she not only went up against the two of us successfully, but also secured the safety of another, it's possible she could be bumped to an A+ rated."

"Considering what you've said," I ponder, "and how people seem to have great reverence for a ghoul of SS rating, I'm assuming that SS is pretty powerful. I'm going to assume A is fairly close under that. What exactly did she do to earn that?"

"She simply continously evaded capture while eating on a regular, predictable basis. During the few encounters in the past we've had with her, she's reportedly shown to have skillful handling of her bikaku."

"Bikaku?"

"This isn't a class," Urie bites sharply, glaring at the guy beside him. I stiffen when he turns back my way. "And you. How come you don't even know the types of kagune?"

"How could I know if I was never told?"

"Do some research! It's the least you could've done, knowing your friend was a ghoul."

"I did do research," I defend. Although, most of my research consisted of looking over crime scenes. I figured I knew what I needed to, with their eyes, RC cells, and kagune. Types of kagune...then there are kagune that look different? "So...what's Mockingbird rated?"

Urie raises a brow. "So you _are_ the Mockingbird that suddenly popped into existence."

"Mockingbird," Haise ignores the dark haired investigator, "is currently something of an enigma. The only reported encounter she's had with investigators, she fled from the scene before anything could be determined. Her connections, with not only a ghoul who was recently found to be a part of the Aogiri Tree but also with a _clown_ , have warranted her a temporary classification as an A class ghoul."

"Cool." I can't stop my grin. So Hanako and I are the same. When was the last time I felt like Hanako and I were truly equals in all regards? I can't really regret stepping into her world when my reward is a feeling as satisfying as this.

"Haise." Urie taps his foot impatiently. "This isn't helping."

The black and white haired investigator scratches the back of his head. "What? I'm only answering her questions."

"She's supposed to be the one answering our questions!"

"You can't just expect her to talk right away, Urie," he states, leaning back on the couch. Then to me, he says, "We'll have to keep you for a while, until you're willing to answer our questions. You'll be provided with everything you need to be comfortable, since you're believed to only be a witness, but we'll need to confiscate your phone."

My phone? "You can't really expect me to go without it in this day and age," I resist, nerves finally growing agitated. My phone...is kinda my lifeline. I mean, it's how I stay in contact with Uta, and how Haise keeps me updated about my mother and Hanako. Even if I can't reach her, it has Hanako's number in it. It also has Haise's, now that I think about it. Won't he be in trouble if his colleague finds out we've been in touch?

"Unfortunately, it's protocol." He extends his hand for my phone. I don't move, my eyes shifting from him to Urie and back. What...do I do? Seeing my hesitance, Haise gives a slight nod to assure me it'll be fine. As much as I'm lead to doubt him, I can't very well do so after I've decided to trust him so completely up until this point. Gulping, I slip my phone out of my pocket and pass it gently into Haise's hand. His fingers clench around it and he thanks me, his nod much more noticeable this time around.

"I heard you were here, Haise!"

I jump. I hadn't heard the door open, nor had I noticed the newest addition to our group. A young boy...no, man...maybe...with black fluffed black hair and stitches running up his neck, and on his lip. Those are stitches, right? He doesn't look injured…. I'm looking at yet more stitches near his wide, dark eyes when I realize his gaze is locked on me.

"Suzuya!" Haise darts to his feet. "I didn't know you'd be here today!"

Suzuya grins widely. "I got finished with my rounds early! When I got back, Tooru told me you and Urie were grilling a witness." He scrutinizes me, and I shift uncomfortably. Strangely enough, that look in his eyes dredges up memories of ravenous ghouls eying their prey as if they weren't people. "Is this her?"

"Suzuya, this is Kiyoko Himura." Haise presents the person with a small flourish of the hand, and I nod my head politely. "We've reason to believe she had the misfortune of stumbling across a ghoul's meal. It seems she's too shocked to speak openly of it, though, so we plan to keep her until she's comfortable."

"I see." The stranger blinks, his gaze never straying from me. "You must be related to the woman Urie brought in last month. Her last name was Himura, too, wasn't it? Why didn't you come in with her?"

"I was scared," I play along. Something tells me this guy would notice if I hesitated with the story at all. "I thought it would….I was terrified it'd seen me and would try to hunt me down. I ran away and kept myself hidden until this investigator," I have to catch myself from referring to Haise as well, glancing only at Urie, "luckily found me."

"Well it's good you're safe now, then," Suzuya absently concludes, sniffing the air. "I just found it odd. You still have the smell of a ghoul on you."

"W-What?"

"Just kidding! Hey, Haise, do you have any snacks?"

I stand frozen, mouth unable to close as the stitched boy badgers the friendly investigator for treats. There's no way he actually smelled it, right? He's human! And Hanako never once said I had picked up a ghoul's scent, even when I'd been among her kind for extended periods of time. She always fretted that I constantly smelled _too_ human!

My fingers tighten around the material of my ripped jeans as I work my mouth shut. Could it...it couldn't be the smell of blood, could it? I'm not left wondering, though. Urie presses the matter for me.

"Inspector Suzuya!" He sharply demands the attention of the bizarre boy. "What do you mean she smelled like a ghoul?"

Suzuya releases Haise, who'd he'd been shaking down in search of snacks. Haise just grins when the guy comes away with a small bag of pretzels. The one digging into the bag explains, "It's nothing much. Just something about her scent brought back memories, although I can't really say it's specifically ghoulish. Besides, she made it past the detectors on the ground floor, so she's definitely human."

Something inside me squeezes at his words, although I can't say why. Haise and I share a look, but again, I can't quite say the meaning behind it. Suzuya's thrown me off in more ways than one, and I get the feeling Haise was similarly unprepared for the invasion despite the pretzels apparently prepared in his pocket. I'm still in a daze when Urie at last takes me away to the room where I'm to spend the night, only snapping out of it when I hear the lock on the door click behind me.

* * *

I had to add Suzuya in there. How could I leave out such a lovable character? Anime and Manga, he's one of my top favorites in the series. I'd love to say I'd throw Uta up there to, so I will, but we still lack much of a backstory to his character. I am eagerly awaiting to hear more about him. Although we know he's basically always been powerful, don't you guys wonder about him now? He's just the type that you can never figure out what they're thinking. I'd love to have a chapter or two dedicated primarily to him. I guess it's still fun if he remains a bit of a phantom, to, though. We'll just have to wait and see.

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	18. A Hasty Flight

I'm sure I've ranted about how much I hate math before, but if I have, it's been awhile. It's due time for me to complain again. If you can't tell by how avidly I write, I'm a huge English nerd. Per stereotype, I also hate math. It's not that I'm particularly bad at it; I just have a strong distaste for it. I cannot seem to ever convince myself that any of it is worth any of my time. The only reason I do it at all is for the grade, but that's a pretty ineffective motivator if you ask me. It's the only subject in school that can regularly bring me to the brink of a breakdown. It's just so frustrating when I think I did something right, but it turns out all wrong! It's evil, I tell you! If satan be a thing, math be him!

Now that that's out of my system, I present the next chapter.

* * *

Clearly this room isn't meant for people to stay in. It's probably some kind of lounge they're closing off to keep me prisoner. I mean, there's a freaking vending machine! And a coffee machine, but I'm not too concerned about that.

I fish a couple yen coins from my pocket and buy myself melon bread to snack on, plopping down on the couch I suspect will double as my bed tonight. The window in here isn't nearly as large as in the other room. That combined with the faded light of twilight forces me to click on a nearby lamp. In the dim lighting, I sit in silence while I nibble on the bread. After a while, I fall sideways, laying down on the couch with the melon bread in my mouth. What exactly do they expect me to do in here? Eat myself to death? It's not like I have enough money to do that. And if I don't do that, I'm pretty sure boredom will kill me instead. I guess there's a T.V, but who knows where the remote is. Really, it's like they want me to frighten myself by leaving me to my imagination about what they could do to me.

Flipping onto my back, I chew contemplatively. Should I try to escape? But there's only one door and it's locked. I've got nothing to pick it with, either, and even if I did, I'd be met with a building full of doves on the other side. The window's a no go. Although I don't remember exactly what floor we're on, I'm almost certain jumping from this height would result in death. As far as I can see, there are no vents for me to crawl through like in those spy movies. Even if I did escape by some freak plan or luck, where would I go? Now Mami's place is off limits to me, too. I've got nowhere.

So...I should just stay here? But if I stay here, I won't only be confined by the investigators, but if I make one wrong move I could end up really being treated like a criminal! Not to mention this puts a stopper in my plans to find Hanako. So long as I'm here, I'm cut off from the ghoul world. I can't have that!

I curl onto my side, facing the couch. My mind wanders to Uta as I finish off my bread, and I let it. I haven't talked to him since that night, and I haven't allowed myself to dwell on him, either. My fingers touch my lips. Why did I kiss him? It's true that I was, to put it lightly, unstable that night. Still, I've never kissed anyone in my life! Of all things, why was that my reaction to _killing someone_? And it's not like I look at him romantically. Sure, he's attractive in a dark, strange way, but I can't say I ever thought of him like that. And yet….I enjoyed it. It's because of that kiss I was able to pull myself together at last. Of course my little break down right before certainly helped, but maybe more than me crying, it was his hand on my head that seemed to ground me. It must've just been because he was there. I'm sure I would've felt the same if it was Hanako comforting me, but….that doesn't explain the kiss.

It isn't because I like him. It can't be. That can't possibly be it….can it?

XX

Upon awakening, I shiver. That was….a dream. Uta and I were married, and if that isn't weird enough, that girl Chisa was our daughter. We went and picked her up from school and then ate her for dinner. She'd tasted like chicken.

The light flicks on and my eyes snap back shut against them, alarmed. Footsteps approach me, then stop. I freeze in hopes they'll believe me still asleep.

 _*Click*_

The odd sound cracks open my eyes. A foot above me, a familiar face hovers with a camera held to her eye. "And with that, you first debt it payed."

"Chie?" I sit up, blinking hard in disbelief. "Why're you….?"

"I'm doing a job," she shrugs, back off and lowering her camera. "Someone wants you out of here, and as a human, I could come in without alerting anyone. Does that mean you're human, too? You couldn't possibly have gotten past those RC detectors otherwise. That must've been one hell of a nightmare you were having. You're as white as a ghost!" My mouth hangs open without a chance to respond as she goes on. "Anyway, let's get out of here before your guard wakes up. I'd prefer not getting caught."

With that, she turns on her heel and bobs towards the door. I follow after a second's hesitation. The first thing I notice is Urie sitting on the hallway floor with his head hung. He must be what she meant by 'guard'. I take extra care to soften my steps as we creep past him, although Chie doesn't pay him any mind. My eyes dart about as she leads me through the hallways, searching for doves, and yet there don't appear to be any.

"Where are they?" I mutter to the short woman in front of me.

"Who?"

"The doves!"

"Many of them are at home," she shrugs, her tone implying that this was obvious. "It's not even four a.m, after all. The one's here are either sleeping like the one outside your room, or busy with the cyber attack."

"Cyber attack?"

"You ask too much. I wasn't told everything." I seal my lips, tense. It's not like her voice was threatening or anything. It's just that I'm already on edge from sneaking around. You wouldn't think we have need to be cautious, though, considering how casually Chie pushes forward. She only stops when we come to a fire escape.

"I don't know how the cyber stuff works," she starts, "so I don't know if they're able to disarm the alarm that goes off when one of these doors open. Even if it's possible, there's no guarantee they did it. Either way, be ready to run the second I open this door."

"O-okay."

Before the two syllables are even fully out of my mouth, she's pushing it open. Sure enough, the alarm blares. The noise jolts me into motion and I'm out the door before Chie, my feet carrying me two steps at a time down the escape. Who knows how many floors we descend until we finally reach the dirt of the ground, but when we get there, I can say I've never felt so relieved to have my feet hit hard on the concrete.

"Don't just stand there," Chie urges, shoving me forward so she can descend the last step. "Come on, we've got someone to meet and investigators to lose."

In motion again, I finally ask, "Who is it we're meeting, exactly?" I would expect Uta, but how would he have figured out where I was so quickly? It hasn't even been a full night since I was taken in by the doves. Could Haise have…? No, he wouldn't know that Uta was the clown I've been seen with, so he couldn't have called him even with my phone. AH! My phone! Haise still has my phone! I groan. I'm probably not ever getting that back, now.

I nearly barrel into Chie when she skids to a stop. Before us, a young man with dark hair and a dark glare leans against the wall. Irritation flows off him in waves. Despite the intimidating aura around him, something about him reminds me of someone.

"Why am I doing this for a human?" he growls, eying me disapprovingly.

"Oh, so you really are human!" Chie tilts her head to look back at me.

"Who're you?" The words come out of my mouth before I can think that it might aggravate the guy farther. When it does cross my mind, I wince. He doesn't even acknowledge the question, though, pushing off the wall and stuffing his hands in his pockets. Then, he shoves a couple bills into Chie's hands.

"There, you're done," he tells her curtly. "As for you," he snaps at me, "you're coming with me. Hurry it up or I'll leave you behind to get caught again."

He begins walking away before I have a chance to ask any more. In fact, I barely have time to nod to Chie before I'm forced to stumble to follow so I don't lose sight of him. Despite the fact that he's walking, I have to practically run to keep his pace. Why is it that I keep being dragged along tonight?

"Excuse me," I call. "Can't you tell me what's going on? Or at least where we're going?"

He barks back, "Shut up!" Then he mumbles something to himself along the lines of asking why he had to run this errand. A minute later, though, he whirls to face me abruptly. "You're bleeding."

Halted, I stammer, "Y-yeah. My feet are injured. One of the sores probably opened up." All the injuries have scabbed over already, and I've gotten used to the dull aching pain they cause over the past few days. I'd figured they'd disappear soon, but if he's smelling blood, I guess I've still got a ways to go before my feet are perfectly usable again.

The guy throws his head, growling like a beast in frustration as he seems to lose himself in thought. While he thinks, I slip the foot that hurts more out of its shoe. Although I can't see any blood in the darkness, my finger does graze a small spot of wetness in the sock. I glance up at him. I doubt he has any bandages on him. Without much of a choice, I fit the foot back into its shoe and carefully balance most of my weight on the other leg. As a result, the ache in that foot increases tremendously.

As I'm doing this, he dials a number and calls someone. "I got her, but she's injured. Unless you want the hungry ones lusting after her, she should be stashed somewhere else. Where do you want her?" …. "No, it wasn't me! I've already eaten a few days ago! What reason do I have to attack her?" …. "You'd better be the best subordinate in all of the Tree in return for me doing this, you got that?"

I blink. In all of the… "Tree? You mean Aogiri Tree?"

He only bothers to glare at me out of the corner of his eye, continuing his conversation on the phone. "That'll work. As soon as I get there, she's purely your responsibility. If you're not there, I won't protect her from any lingering ghouls." He hangs up without saying good-bye.

"Are you a part of the Aogiri Tree?" I press. If he is, then…

He turns his back to me. "Are you coming or not?"

"I am! But-"

"If you're coming, then shut up. Be grateful I'd waste my time rescuing a human, of all things, from the doves."

Fighting against all the questions that surge to my lips, I just nod and trail after him obediently. Besides, it's likely the answer the question I just asked is yes, and if it is, then Hanako's most likely wherever he's taking me. Heck, she's probably the one that set up this rescue mission! The note she sent before was proof she's been watching me, so it would make sense if she already knew about my abduction.

I follow the mystery rescuer much more enthusiastically after coming to this conclusion. In doing so, I probably put too much pressure on my feet, because soon enough the guy in front of me stops again.

"Isn't there any way…" he trails off, clearly irked. Then, with a huff of surrender, he suddenly lifts me onto his back. Surprised, I let out a shriek that's cut short with a sharp look from him. Silenced, I simply try to position myself as lightly as I can and not shift about as he carries me hastily towards our destination.

The journey is anything but relaxing, his tension thickening the air I breathe and clogging my lungs the entire way. When he at last comes to a stop, he all but tosses me off his back. I barely manage to keep myself standing with the force he throws me with. Without waiting to see if I'm alright, he motions with his hand dismissively to the building we've stopped in front of. It's definitely old, but we appear to be in an ancient part of the city. It seems to be a ramshackle house from the Edo period, with moss and vines dominating the sloped roof. Evidently, no one's cared for it for a long time.

"That's it. Go in."

I pull my eyes away from the house to study the boy. "Um...thank you."

"Just don't get eaten if there're still some strangers in there. We use this house sometimes for people who need a few days to recover from grave injuries and don't have the fastest healing abilities. There usually aren't many, if any, people here, but if they are, just remember that injured ghouls need to eat more than healthy ones."

Again, I repeat, "Thank you."

"Just get inside already. If you're lucky, someone will have brought you something to help with your feet."

"Is that someone Hanako?"

He doesn't respond at first. Then,

"Why don't you go in and look?"

* * *

You know, this chapter wasn't all that fun to write, but it was fun to go back and read. I don't think I've ever had that happen before. Well, at least that should mean that you guys will likely enjoy it, too. I have to wonder if I was clear as to who the boy was. Yes, his description is a little vague, but can you blame Kiyoko? I mean, she's meeting him for the first time on a dark night when she has no idea what's going on. She probably isn't paying too close attention to the details other than his apparently hair-string temper. I think there should be enough hints, though, for you to figure out who it is. If you can't, well, his name will come up sometime soon. One last thing. Before the next chapter is posted I want to hear who you guys think it could be that organized all this. Do you guys think it's really Hanako?

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	19. Reunion

Ehem. Prepare yourself, because I'm about to shamelessly advertise the game my brother made. He recently finished the official demo and has posted up on GameJolt, and so far the people who've done playthroughs of it have thought of it highly. It's called The Horologist's Legacy. I seriously recommend you go play it, because it's freaking good. He and his friend have spend at least the past five, six years on it, and they plan to release the entire game soon. Go check it out!

Also, enjoy this creation of my own.

* * *

The door creaks when I lay my hand on it. Uncertainty makes me glance back, but the boy who'd brought me is already vanished. Turning back to the door, I breathe in deeply and release the breath, sliding the door open. What meets me is dark emptiness. After a moment of hesitation, I step inside. I don't close the door behind me so I at least have the moonlight to see by, but the shadows still stick to the walls and floor stubbornly to obstruct my vision. Quick glances up and down the corridor reveal nothing.

I clear my throat. "Hello?"

Not even my own voice echoes back at me. I wait for a couple more seconds, then lower myself onto the ground in the doorway. It's best I keep off my feet as much as possible. I stretch my legs out in front of me with a moan and wearily lean my head against the door frame.

What am I supposed to do now? I don't have much of a choice but to wait for something to happen, but what will that something be? I can hope all I want that Hanako was the one who pulled the strings to get me here, but it could just as easily not be her as be her. The only hints I have are the possibility of all this being connected somehow to Aogiri Tree, and that whoever set it up knows I'm human. I'd like to say that last condition narrows the list of suspects significantly, but these days, it feels like everyone knows my species! I'd like to think Hanako never spoke of my being human to the other ghouls in the Aogiri Tree, but who knows? I thought I knew her pretty well up until she disappeared. And the guy from just now very clearly called me human when he first saw me. Surely he wouldn't have been able to tell so quickly unless he'd been told beforehand. I don't think I was bleeding yet, at that point.

So if it's not Hanako who orchestrated this, then what am I going to do? What if it turns out to be one of the ghouls I met while tagging along with Uta to places? I never really found that I liked many, if any, of the people he introduced me to. The only relationship that formed I found enjoyable was the one with Chie, and that happened indirectly.

But what if it _is_ Hanako? What do I do _then_? Should I hug her? Yell at her? Cry? Laugh? I guess I'm at a loss no matter who it is. Maybe if it turns out to be Uta….which I'm pretty sure it isn't...maybe then I could just thank him and be done with it. Yeah, I think that's basically the only situation I'd be comfortable with. When did he become the one I always turned to? Sure, it happened after Hanako abandoned me, but why him? Why couldn't I just stand on my own two feet?

I chuckle, rolling my injured feet around lazily. I really can't stand on my own two feet right now, can I? It's kinda pathetic, if you think about it.

Suddenly something hits my leg and I jerk, gasping. The bundle thumps to the floor.

"Use that to patch yourself up."

I freeze, my eyes locked on the bundle. What it is ceases to matter when I process the voice speaking. Through monumental effort, I break my gaze away from the object and lift my head to confirm the speaker.

Her black hair shines in the light of the moon, her face shadowed. She stands in a familiar pose with her arms crossed rebelliously. Her eyes waver strangely between their usual chocolate brown and red. Neither of us speaks, simply returning each other's gaze in silence.

"Come here."

She blinks, evidently slightly startled by my words. After a few moments, she complies. When she stops, standing above me, I motion for her to come down to my level. She lowers herself to the floor. When she's sat, facing me, the moonlight finally illuminates her face, and what I see in it is shrouded apprehension. She's trying to act unaffected. Without warning, I knock her in the head with my fist as hard as I can. Although it surely doesn't hurt her at all, the surprise of it causes her to half fall backwards with wide eyes.

"You idiot!" I hiss. "Do you know how much trouble you've caused me?"

She immediately goes on the defensive. "Huh? Why do you think I left!?"

"You caused me _way_ more trouble by leaving!"

"You did that all on your own! I told you not to do anything, but you just had to go and ask Uta for help! You could have at least gone to Touka! Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

"I was trying to find you!"

"Take a hint, moron! I didn't want to be found! You've got no right to be scolding me!"

I take to my knees, grabbing her by the collar of her shirt. "You fucking abandoned me! Like hell I don't have the right!"

"I only did that to keep you out of danger! But you had to go and make all my efforts moot! You should have stopped when I told you to! Do you have _any idea_ how _frustrating_ taking care of you is?"

"Shut the fuck up!"

Just like that, with me looming over her, we seethe with our teeth bared at one another, growls vibrating in our throats like wild animals. My hands shake, clenched too tight in the cloth of her shirt. Her lips twitch in a snarl.

"Don't," I shatter the deadlock, "you _ever_ do that to me again!"

She looks away, the scowl still distorting her face. "You'd just come chasing after me if I did, whimpering like a lonely puppy dog. Seriously, you haven't changed at all since we've met."

She returns the embrace without hesitation when I lunge at her. She can probably tell how desperate I am from how I practically suffocate her with how tightly I hold her, but to my credit, she's clinging onto me just as hard. If not a little bit harder.

"I hate you," I sniff, my tears running onto her shoulder.

"No you don't."

"Shut up. I'm trying to convince myself."

She snickers, but at the same time her body heaves with sobs. We clutch onto each other with all the might we can without harming the one we're holding. For me, that's as hard as I can. As painful as her grasp on me is, I'd probably be crushed by her full strength and she knows it. I can't help but smile to think that she was careful enough to remember such a thing when we're both such messes like this.

"You're seriously helpless without me around," Hanako laughs. "Honestly, what are you going to do if I really am permanently taken from you?"

"I'd take you back!"

"Aw, come on. If I have a possessive friend like you, I'll never get a boyfriend."

"Then don't get one."

"Sorry, Kiyoko. I don't swing that way." I whack her, eliciting more laughter. "If I don't get a boyfriend, then you can't either."

"Yes I can."

She finally pulls back, at last looking me honestly in the eye. At first, I'm confused, but then her lips pull up in a smirk that defies the redness around her brown eyes. "Is that so? I've always been under the impression that boys never mattered to you."

"But if I want one…"

"Kiyoko, did you find a _guy_ while I was gone?"

"Of course I-" The memory of my kiss cuts me off. She grins and I hang my head. Red in the face, I mumble, "It's...complicated."

"Isn't everything? You'll have to introduce me! Ah, but right now, you need to stop the bleeding. I can smell your blood."

With her appearance, I'd forgotten about my feet. She grabs the bundle she'd thrown at me before and shoves it into my hands. When I finally take the time to look at it, I find it to be a roll of bandages. She informs me, "I have no idea how to use these."

"That's because you always leave your wounds open," I scold, taking the supplies. As I begin to wrap my bleeding foot, I add, "You always only relied on your healing abilities, which aren't exactly great for a ghoul, mind you."

She grimaces. "I never told you that."

"I figured it out anyway. It's your fault for leaving me. With you gone, I was free to ask all the ghoulish questions I wanted."

"I didn't think you'd go soak yourself in ghoul culture. Seriously, you should have just forgotten about me."

"Buuut I didn't. And I discovered that that healing you're so proud of is actually incredibly slow. Uta heals way faster than you do."

"You saw him hurt?"

I snort. "I asked." As if Uta would get hurt. She sulks while I finish tying the bandages and stretch out my leg. "So….what have you been up to, in Aogiri Tree?"

"Nothing much," she pouts, shrugging. "Just a couple of errands."

"Like attacking RC suppressant shipments?"

She narrows her eyes. "How'd you know about that?"

I smile teasingly. "Why should I tell you? You haven't told me how you've been keeping track of _me_ these past few weeks. How'd you know about my job Saturday night?"

She pauses, then sits a bit straighter. "What job?"

"The one I had the night you left me that note."

"I wasn't aware you had a job."

My playful smile falters, a breeze raising goosebumps across my skin. "What do you mean? Didn't you send me that message because…."

"I sent you the note because I was hearing too much about the Mockingbird that suddenly came onto the scene accompanying a clown. I thought you were just integrating yourself among my kind, not taking up jobs! What kind of job are we talking about?"

What...what am I supposed to say? That I played an assassin? That I've shot and killed three people? I just assumed she knew! I thought she just wasn't bothered by it because she has to do that sort of thing to survive! But if she doesn't know, then….what if she's disgusted? What if she's horrified a human would do such a thing?

"Well?" she prods. What if she's angry that I did it to find her? Would she feel responsible? Would she….would she leave me again? I jump when she grabs me by the shoulders. Her eyes search mine. Gnawing nervously on the inside of my cheek, I try to avoid her gaze. When her voice comes out again, the chill in it makes the cool night air feel like a sauna. "Kiyoko. Why aren't you looking at me?"

I shrink away, still unable to lift my gaze. "It...I just ran an errand for someone." Oh, how clever, me. An errand. Like she'll believe that.

"What kind of 'errand'? For who?"

"I just did a favor for someone I met through Uta."

" _What kind of favor_?"

I clench my teeth as her fingers burrow violently into my shoulders. In pain, I peek over to look at her face. My throat restricts when I find her eyes a furious red. Images flash through my mind of my days as a little kid, when other students would swarm around me like wasps, poking and prodding about my blonde hair. When the upperclassmen at elementary school would glare at me in disgust, and accuse me of being the daughter of a slut. Her stone expression thrusts me back to the days when I would cry at even the slightest provocation. Squeezing my eyes shut, I squeak, "Hanako, you're scaring me!"

Even after she releases me, I can't stop the way my body shakes. I curl in on myself and bury my head in my arms, trying to calm down in vain. Now that it's started, I can't stop remembering how my head would throb after the older kids would beat me, how my legs would sting with every step because of how they kicked me when I fell to the ground. Their laughter still echoes in my ears, despite the years since I've heard it.

"Kiyoko." When Hanako's fingertips brush against me, I instinctively flinch away. Her words strained, she tries again. "Kiyoko, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be like that. I'm just worried. Kiyoko, please look at me."

Gradually, I pry my head up from my self-made ball. What I find is my own fear reflected in her expression. Seriously….she calls me a helpless puppy, but truthfully we're both broken little kids seeking comfort in each other.

Arm quaking, I extend it to invite her to me. She doesn't hesitate and gathers me to her. Just like that, we hug each other in the moonlight and take comfort in the fact that we're finally both back together.

* * *

This was fun to write. I was ecstatic about bringing Hanako back into the picture. Just writing the interactions between these two friends is something new for me, and I find it incredibly intriguing. To some extent, I would like to compare the characters to me and my own best friend, but even as I say that I can truthfully say there's actually very little in common. About the only thing that's similar is that one friend gets along with everyone (Kiyoko and my bestie) and the other really could hardly care less about most other people (Hanako and me). Other than that, there's a world of differences, and I'm not just talking species. So anyway, yippee for Hanako's return! But the story isn't over yet! I look forward to seeing you all next chapter!

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	20. The Recovery House

So Tokyo Ghoul started airing on Toonami at night, and I'm psyched to say the least! I haven't actually watched the first season for a good year plus, and this is my first time listening to the dub, too. I'm still in the midst of deciding whether I like this dub or not. I'm one of those people who doesn't have a strong preference for sub or dub. Funny story, actually. I actually switched from watching dub to sub in the middle of the series Baccano, and didn't notice! I only caught on when I noticed that Jacuzzi sounded completely different. I've been laughing at the memory ever since.

Anyway, onto the story!

* * *

When the sun rises, I hobble about to explore the house. I slept last night better than I've slept in ages, it feels. Hanako and I have slept in the same room since she came to stay with Mom and me, so when she left, it felt foreign to sleep alone. And then I went and left my house, as if sleeping alone wasn't enough to shake my sleeping patterns. These few hours between the time when I fell asleep and the time the sun woke me was the first time I've slept soundly, and without nightmares since all of this began. And it was the icing on the cake when I woke up to see Hanako hunched in the corner drooling in her sleep. Okay, well maybe she wasn't drooling. I would have drawn the drool, though, if I'd had a marker. That seems like it would've been fair in trade for all that she's put me through.

The boards creak under my feet with every step, but oddly enough I think the floor giving under me softens the burden on my injured feet. The windows are uncovered, but smudged with so much grime that I can't make out any shapes on the other side. The light that does come in is tinted yellowish air that smells like mildew. I slide open one of the doors to air it out, but the aroma just seems to sit, unfazed by the fresh air floating outside. On the other side of the door, a miniature jungle grows. The grass would easily reach up to my knees if I went among it, and vines dangle from the roof and wind around the supports. Somewhere hidden by the plant life, I can hear the faint sound of trickling water.

Breathing in deeply, I let the scent of the foliage wash over me. The boy from last night had said this house was used for injured ghouls. I can see why. Despite this being in the density of the city, it's as if it was secluded far in the country. It's the perfect environment to recover in. If only someone would clean up the inside of the house, and maybe do a little lawn work.

I glance back into the building. Are there no patients here right now? I've yet to see anyone, or hear anyone, so I guess not. They must not have done anything too dangerous in Aogiri recently. Honestly, I'm pretty glad we've got the house to ourselves at least for the moment.

Hanako rounds the corner of the hall, yawning. "Don't go wandering off."

"Sorry. It's just that I've never been in this style of house before."

She grumbles, "Didn't Ayato tell you what this place is used for? What would've happened if you'd run into a healing ghoul?"

"Was Ayato the guy who brought me here?"

"My boss." She stretches her arms above her head, like a cat stretching after a nap. "Although he's barely older than we are. Did he tell you or didn't he?"

"He did," I confirm.

She leans against the wall across from me, smirking. "Did you recognize him?"

I study her for a minute before asking, "Should I have?"

"He's Touka's little brother."

I blink. "What? Really?" Touka never said anything about having siblings, but that would explain that vague feeling of recognition I got when I first saw him.

"Yeah. The two of them are pretty opposite, don't you think?"

I think about it. "Mm, actually, I think they're pretty similar."

"How do you figure?"

"They both like to keep themselves detached from people around them, but they still care even if they pretend not to." If Ayato really hadn't cared about my well being, he wouldn't have warned me about the possible danger in this house.

Hanako considers this, then sorta half nods in assent. "I guess I can see that. Either way, the two of them don't exactly get along. Ayato hasn't let me mention his sister since I first asked about their relation."

"And Touka never told us about him," I finish. "They sure go about their lives differently." Cafe versus gang. Yup, I'd say those are on pretty opposite ends of the spectrum. Still, they've got their lives planned out and settled. Me, what have I got? I can't very well pursue college as I am, and even if I could, what would I do after that? Honestly, I've got nothing figured out. "So...where do we go from here?"

It takes her a moment to understand the change of subject, but when she does, she sighs. "I'm not sure. For now you're free to stay here, but once a patient comes…."

We lapse into silence, the weight of the future's uncertainty suddenly heavy in the air.

"Well," I begin, distracting the both of us from our thoughts, "for now, maybe we should drop by :RE to see Touka. She's probably begun to think you're dead at this point, and I myself haven't seen her for some time."

"Can't you just text her?" Hanako inquires, apparently uncomfortable with the idea.

I hold out my empty hands. "Doves took my phone. I didn't have the chance to get it back."

She clicks her tongue. "Fine, but let me bring you a change of clothes before you leave here. It'll be trouble if you're recognized by any of those vultures."

"Of course. Speaking of phones, by the way, what happened to yours?"

"Smashed it."

"How blunt of you," I frown. "I guess my phone is how they found me, though. Just my luck that Urie was paying attention when he was."

"Urie? You mean the quinx?"

"Quinx?"

"It refers the the kagune implant he has. You remember the night I brought you out?"

Do I remember being forced against a wall with a pulsating kagune pressed against my throat? Do I remember having to slice my own arm open to convince him not to kill me? "How could I forget? Yeah, I mean him. Apparently he's been hunting me all this time. I'm assuming you know he took Mom into custody."

"I do…." Her expression distorts. "Filthy doves. All of 'em! If they do anything to Noriko I'll rip out their guts!"

"She's fine," I pacify her. "She's still allowed to go to work, and she looked perfectly fine last I saw."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Haise made sure of it."

She gives me a look as if to ask if I'm crazy. "Haise Sasaki? _Kaneki Ken?_ Are you _kidding_ me right now?"

"What? Everyone and their brother gets antsy whenever I bring him into the conversation. I know he's a half ghoul with lost memory, but is it really that big of a deal?"

"YES!" I startle. "Yes it is! That guy's a freak of nature, worse than the quinxes! A surgically made fake ghoul from the implantation of the innards of a binge eater ghoul! Nobody knows how strong he is, and he doesn't have the restrictions the quinxes do! Before he lost his memory, though, he apparently was influential in Aogiri. There's not only that, but his connection to No Face, and his time at Anteiku… He's a dangerous existence, Kiyoko."

I'm not sure what to say to that. Nor do I know what Anteiku is. Besides that, Haise hardly seems to be a 'dangerous' person. I've felt that way ever since we started talking to each other. I will admit, however, that the first time I laid eyes on him in Uta's shop I felt it was a good idea to stay out of his way.

"He's actually helped me a lot," I confess. "He's had the ability to contact me long before Urie found me, but he didn't use it for anything bad. He told me he'd update me if any information about you came to the investigators, since he felt guilty for separating us. He's also the one who warned me about Mom being found. It's because of him I was able to hide as long as I did."

She scowls. "So what? We owe him?"

"No. All that he's done, he's done to make up for scaring you off in the first place. I'm just saying that I don't think he's that bad of a guy."

"Kiyoko, _please_ tell me the boy you started to like isn't him!"

"It's not! And I never said I started to like anyone!"

"Liar," she hisses.

I take limping step over to her and hit her head as hard as I can. She doesn't even flinch, but she closes her lips to hide the teeth she'd bared. "I am not lying to you, Hanako. Don't accuse me of doing so."

"Yeah, yeah," she mumbles, pushing my hand away. "I'll believe you. When you say it isn't him, anyway. Who is it, though?"

"I'm telling you, I'm not-"

"You do like someone. After knowing you for ten years, I can tell, but I've got a bad feeling about who it is. Really, I've got a bad feeling about a lot of things you're hiding from me. You used to confide everything in me. It makes me wonder what's so horrible that you're sealing your lips against me."

I huff, propping myself on the wall beside her. "It's your fault for running off."

"Are you ever gonna let me live that down?"

"Nope."

"Then are you ever going to tell me who it is?"

"There's no one."

She pinches my arm and I wrench back. Still, she lets it lie. "And will you tell me what the job you went on was?"

"I told you, errands."

"And I asked, what type of errands?"

"Probably something along the lines of the errands you were sent on as an underling in Aogiri Tree."

She frowns. "I doubt that."

"Then what about you?" I change the subject again. "What sort of 'errands' were you sent on?"

Sighing, she answers, "Lot's of things. Information passing, deliveries, raids, literally going to convenience stores to get a superior magazines…. Us lows on the totem get all the odd jobs."

"So you aren't very high up?"

"Not at all," she shrugs. "I just joined."

"So you don't get ranked based on abilities?"

"Well, yeah," she relents, meeting my eyes, "we are, but I'm not nearly as powerful as most of the higher ups. Some of them are pretty ridiculously strong. What gave you the impression I was powerful?"

"The ghoul investigators," I explain. "Haise told me you're a rank A."

She whistles, and I swear the corners of her lips tug upwards. "Not bad."

"Must not be so great, either," I comment, "considering a mere human got the same ranking."

"A mere-" Her eyes widen. "What? Seriously? You're kidding!"

I purse my lips in a futile attempt to stop my smile. "Nope."

"What'd you do to earn _that_?"

"That's the thing," I grin. "As far as they know, I've done absolutely nothing."

At this point, neither one of us is able to hide the curve of our lips. How could I help but to have my spirits lifted, seeing how pleased she is.

"Well," Hanako smirks. "It makes me wonder what you'd be graded if you had some achievements to your name."

"It is curious," I agree.

"Then...you wanna see how far up you can get?"

"It'd put me in danger."

"You're already in danger." With those words, I come to the conclusion that she's accepted the fact that I've forced my way into her world.

And, it seems, it's got her blood pumping.

* * *

This chapter was a bit of an intermission, but those are nice every once in a while, right? If we were always on the edge of our seats we'd pass out from being overwhelmed! But if the breaks get too long, they drag and get boring. It's a precarious balance for an author like myself. It's something I experiment with often to get right. Are any of you even reading this? Sorry for doubting and all, but it's a legitimate question when I receive no proof of these author's notes being read. Well, anyhow, I should spend my time writing instead of worrying.

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	21. Aogiri's Footmen

Okay, so someone pointed out that Kaneki was only a part of Aogiri in the anime. So, wanting to be accurate, I went and searched the wiki for evidence of Kaneki either being connected or not to Aogiri in the manga. I couldn't find confirmation or evidence against. I try to be accurate guys, I really do, but with how long the series is and the confusion of differences between the manga and the anime, it's hard! I can explain Hanako's words away by saying it's simply an exaggerated rumor she heard, but if I get something wrong, please forgive me!

And please, by all means, enjoy!

* * *

On my insistence, we go to visit Touka that evening. The two of us sit at our usual table in the cafe and order ourselves coffee, as if the past month had never happened. Touka refuses to outwardly express her relief as to our safety, but she lingers about our table just a bit more than she typically would. It isn't until she invites us to join her in the back during her break that she mentions anything about our absences. Upon her request, we settle into the couch and relay to her the majority of what has happened. As per usual, however, we drop the notion that I happen to be a different species from either of them.

Once we've finished, she rewards Hanako with a sharp kick in the shin and a scolding for ever running off, to which I crack up. My best friend glares at me before rubbing her hurt leg. It seems that Touka, as a fellow ghoul, has the strength to cause her pain. Makes me glad we decided to come. I can never do anything but the equivalent of poking at her on my own.

We leave on good terms, with my mask secured under my shirt and a friendly send off from both Touka and Yomo. Next, we stop by Mami's apartment complex. While I buy myself a sandwich at the restaurant across the street, Hanako leaves another note for Mami at the front desk, this time written by me, along with an enclosed message to Yui apologizing for everything and informing her I lost my phone. If not for the time I spent mulling over every single word I meticulously wrote to the both of them, we would've gone to see Touka before the sun began to set, but I was incredibly careful with everything I meant to say to them. After all, those words may end up being the last I ever give to them. I had to somehow sum up all of my gratitude to the both of them on those two sheets of paper, which I still believe was an impossible task to undertake. I hope, though, that they understand, and if all goes well, maybe they'll start to talk again with my common absence in their lives. Perhaps they can mend their friendship.

Hanako meets me at the door of the restaurant and we continue down the road. At this point, the sun has sank completely, replaced by the manmade lights of night. We maintain a steady, slightly sluggish pace to ease the burden on my feet and prevent my injuries from opening any more, although both of my feet are wrapped restrictively tight just in case.

Finished with my food, I toss the evidence into a trashcan we pass and stuff my hands into the pockets of my jacket after wiping my mouth. I suppose it doesn't matter. Where we're going, there are probably ghouls who already know I'm human. Still, I'm not sure how many. Hanako apparently didn't hide my species from her superior, Ayato, so I can't really say how many know without asking her. And if I asked her, she'd think I was doubting her. The last thing we need is to add strain to our friendship at this point.

When we reach the abandoned business building that serves as our destination, each of us slips on our mask before we head inside. Hanako has to lead me by the hand inside, her ghoul eyes catching hints of light in the dark building that mine do not. We go slowly. She has to guide me verbally as well as physically to prevent me from stepping on anything sharp, because, according to her, a good portion of the windows that're supposed to be in their panes are actually shattered on the floor. The staircase is the hardest to traverse, with my toe stubbing on every other stair and causing me to nearly fall down the stairs backwards at least twice.

We finally emerge into a fair sized room lit by only a few electric lanterns that must be newer than they look, considering they appear to be battery powered. With only them for lighting, shadows dominate the room, but still I can make out boards barricading the windows. Besides the boards and the lanterns on the floor, the room appears to be empty.

"Boss isn't here yet?" Hanako inquires to the dim room. To my shock, she gets a reply from not one, but many people.

"He's usually last."

"But we can't exactly complain, or he might lose his temper."

"It sucks we have to work under a guy who's so young. He's got no experience."

"Clearly you've never seen him in action."

As my eyes begin to adjust, I begin to pick out silhouettes slinking against the walls. With a start I realize the room is anything but empty. Easily more than a dozen ghouls line the shadowy outline of the room, each one keeping to themselves. Hanako joins them by leaning against the wall by the door and I follow. As I settle, I try not to let my eyes wander. Then I realize they can't see my face behind my mask, and begin to gaze around at each of them. Every one of them has a mask on their face, but from what I can tell, they're all dressed comfortably casual. This gathering is starkly different than the ghoul gatherings I'm used to, which had wealthy ghouls is wealthy dress quietly socializing like royalty. If royalty was deeply imbedded in black market transactions. But the atmosphere here is more underground rebellion than snobby aristocracy. It's strange. Despite ghouls having both a common food source and common enemy, they've divided into such varying groups. You'd think they'd all band together, but no. I get the feeling most of the ghouls Uta introduced me to would turn their noses up at the ghouls in this room right now. They'd call them 'savages'.

"Who's the new chick?" The woman with a ponytail nods to me, her question seemingly aimed at Hanako.

"My friend," Hanako says simply. "I want to ask the boss to let her join."

A man snorts. "Like he'd listen to a subordinate's request."

The man next to him elbows him. "But remember, he's sweet on Black Cat." I glance at Hanako, but can't make out any sort of reaction on her face.

"The Black Bunny and the Black Kitty. How fitting."

"Black _Rabbit_ ," a new voice corrects. All eyes land on a young man standing in the doorway. It takes me a second, even though he's the only one without a mask, but then it hits me that it's Ayato. Since Hanako hadn't referred to him by name, I'd figured the boss would be someone even higher up. "I'll overlook the other crap you spouted just now. Everyone's here?"

Ponytail lady nods. "Plus one. Black Cat brought a little birdie along."

It's only then that he notices me. I watch him carefully, but he doesn't pay me more than a glance. It's Hanako he addresses. "Why did you bring her?"

"Because Mockingbird's a rank A ghoul, and willing to help. I can vouch for her."

His head turns slightly towards me. "Rank A? Her?"

"Crazy, right?" Hanako grins.

He thinks about it for a moment. "I'll allow it, but you're her babysitter. I'm not responsible if she gets herself or you killed."

"Understood."

"As for you," he finally speaks to me, "if you start dragging anyone but her down, you're out."

"Yes sir."

A snicker from one of the nameless ghouls earns a glare from their boss. When they're successfully silenced, Ayato gets to the meat of the gathering. "Kitsune, what have you to tell about the cyber attack we launched on the main building?"

Again it's the woman who replies, this time a smug smile on her face. "My team was successful. We managed to reap the dates of the next times they plan on moving prisoners in Cochlea, and I was able to download a few files concerning a number of special investigators."

"Is that all?"

She falters. "Y-yes. You can't expect me to get much more than that out of such a protected system, Boss."

"This is why you're still only under me and no one higher," he snaps back. The woman he'd called Kitsune snarls, but keeps her complaints to herself. "I expect you forwarded it all as usual?"

"Of course."

"And you covered your location?"

"Of course! Boss, I've never made such an amatuer mistake for years!"

He ignores her insisting. "The next meeting we'll have is in eight days. We'll be joining with another unit to gather intel on newly hired doves. The meeting place will be the park at the foot of the cell tower near the station. Be discreet. Does everyone under-"

 _Clink_

Something hits the ground tossed from the doorway, drawing all our attentions. My eyes go to the door, but before I can find anything, Hanako shoves me to the ground. I gasp, the breath forced out of me. Before I can recover, she's thrown herself atop me.

When I push back, she hisses, " _Stay down!_ "

And then I'm blinded by a light and deafened by a sound, and suffocating heat floods the room. I clench my eyes shut as the floor beneath me quakes. It only lasts for a second. When it cools down enough for me to comfortably take a breath, I pry open an eye. Hanako has pushed herself off of me, grimacing, her limbs shaking and face towards the door.

"Aw, come on!" The voice that speaks, although I can't quite put a name to it, makes my blood run cold. "It wasn't _that_ strong of a grenade. Is that all it really took? I thought ghouls were stronger!"

The next thing I notice as I ease myself upright is that every ghoul in the room has their kagune at the ready, the red of their weapons gleaming in the light of the small fires spread throughout the room. Seeing this, I reach under my jacket to grasp the gun hidden inside. Since it's the gun Hanako found me, and not the one I left back in Mami's apartment, I have to fumble with the unfamiliar design to find and undo the safety. Then, I freeze with my hand inside my outer layer. Uta always told me never to draw in front of others unless they either know my species, or it's inescapable.

"At least you can all still stand!" This time, I finally spot the owner of the voice and put a name to him. Suzuya stands aloof in the entrance, a second grenade in his hand. "It wouldn't be any fun for me if I had to cull you while you were barely clinging to life!"

"Suzuya! Why did you set off an explosion in an old building like this?"

I startle at Haise's voice, hand spazzing around the gun. I just manage to avoid hitting the trigger. Although I can't see Haise yet, I can now hear his footsteps along with others approaching the room. This can't be good.

"Kiyoko." I jump again when Hanako whispers in my ear. "We're only a floor up. The wood over the windows should be singed from the grenade he threw, so the boards should splinter easily. I want you to try to break through and run when the fighting begins."

"I won't!" I refuse, resolute. "I'm done with running! All you and Uta ever tell me to do is run, but at least he put a gun in my hand and taught me to use it!" The other ghouls in the room begin to sink into pouncing position, widening the grin on the wild investigator's face.

"But do you really think you can shoot a human to kill?" Hanako insists. I search her face. Even with the mask covering everything above her mouth and nose, her lips convey her displeasure clearly enough. And I can clearly see that she doesn't think I can do it.

I offer her a sad smile. "Hanako….I already have."

* * *

Hehe...Suzuya. I _had_ to use him for something more than just a dialogue scene. I also thought it was a little fun to give him a bit of an explosive entrance. This was fun to write, to say the least. What do you guys think? Any and all pointers are welcome! Praises, criticisms, I wanna hear all you've got! I look forward to hearing from you!

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	22. Singed Feathers

So, there was a mite of a cliffhanger at the end of the last chapter. Let's continue from there. Suzuya just burst into the room with an explosion, and an extra grenade in hand, Haise's somewhere in the building, and Kiyoko's only got her gun and her friend. Let's see how it plays out. Btw, I've been thinking about shortening these afore and after notes until the end of this book. Just thought I should mention.

Onto the story!

* * *

Ayato is the first to Attack Suzuya. The crazy dove flares his black jacket, revealing rows upon rows of blades attached to the inner side. I can hardly see him move as he whips out a knife in each hand and blocks the projectiles fired from Ayato's wing-like kagune.

Laughing, Suzuya shouts, "Let's dance!"

Hanako is the last ghoul to release her kagune when she finally lets out hers out. The investigators had called it a Bika...Bikaku, I think. At least two of the other ghouls appear to have the same kind as her.

As Suzuya plunges into the room, the ghouls swarm him, but Hanako lingers back near me cautiously. Haise skids to a stop in the entryway, a green haired boy with an eyepatch running into him when he doesn't stop in time.

"G...Ghouls?" the boy sputters, glancing to Haise. "Weren't we just going for a walk?"

Haise frowns. "I should have known something was up when Suzuya invited us out."

"But we don't have our quinques!"

"We're the quinx squad, Tooru," Haise sighs. "We don't need quinques."

"Haise, I can't-" The boy cuts off when crimson arms begin snaking out from behind Haise. Sure, I know what the quinxes are, and sure, I've seen Urie's kagune before, but I've never seen a kagune like _this_ before! The tentacles situate themselves around their main body like the jaws of a venus flytrap, tense to snap at a moment's notice.

"Why is he here? _Che_ ," Hanako clicks her tongue, upset. And then she lunges. Having not noticed her, Haise stumbles back before striking out with his viper-esque kagune. After exchanging their first few blows, he suddenly seems to realize who he's fighting. After knocking her back, he pivots his head in search. He eventually stops when his eyes land on me. He continues looking until Hanako shoots herself towards him again, their kagunes clashing.

A burn at my leg is what forces me into motion, causing me to twist away from a growing fire. Shock worn off, I start to truly assess the situation. Suzuya's occupied, but only because of the onslaught of ghouls focused on him. I can't tell if he's struggling at all, though, considering the confidence he exudes. Haise's got his hands full with Hanako continually on the offense. The only two with nothing demanding our attention are me and the eye patched boy Haise came with that he'd called Tooru. From the looks of it, Tooru's even more unsure of himself in this scenario than me.

Still unsure what to do, I turn my attention back to Haise's and Hanako's fight. It seems he's more skilled with his own kagune than a quinque, because Hanako's unable to even get close to him. Even so...it looks like he isn't actually trying to hurt her. He's had the chance to strike, but so far he's only been on the defensive.

But what about the fires? They've begun to merge together and climb, smoke collecting on the ceiling of the room. I should get water, but where would I get it? Our best option is to get out of here, but we can't exactly do that while everyone else is locked in combat.

As I scan the room for ideas, I catch Tooru clumsily lifting a phone to his ear. It takes me less than a second to figure out that he's calling reinforcements. The heat of the flames having already prepared by body to flee, I dart without hesitation to where Tooru is and tear out my gun, resting the barrel on his forehead. The boy freezes, his one eye wide with fear.

"Throw your phone in the fire," I command stonily. He obeys, the phone sparking as it melts in the flames. My goal accomplished, the two of us stare at each other, my gun positioned ready to fire into his brains. I guess...I take him as a hostage now? Is that a smart move? I'm sure it would get Haise to back off safely, but what about Suzuya? If I drew his attention, wouldn't he just attack me? There's no way I could handle a monster that can go up against so many ghouls at once!

So should I shoot him? If I just pull the trigger, I can concentrate on the two investigators that're already in the heat of things. I won't have to worry about this extra causing more trouble. If there's less trouble, the less time things'll take, and the sooner we can escape this building. That would be great, because the smoke is already drawing coughs out of the inhabitants of the room. Including me.

Yeah, it'd be better to just shoot him.

"Kiyoko!" I don't turn to look at Haise when he calls, aware that Tooru could easily slip away down the hall if I averted my eyes. "Kiyoko, don't shoot! Do you want to become a murderer?"

" _He_ seems to think I could pull the trigger," I mutter to myself. Why is it that Hanako was convinced I couldn't, when she's supposed to be the one who knows me best? Why does it feel like Haise has a better grasp of who I am now than she does? Have I really changed that much? What about me tells him I could kill Tooru, despite him not knowing anything about the past three murders I've committed? And why didn't Hanako see it in me when he does?

A tongue of flame licking at the door frame distracts me from my thoughts, and I lower my gun. "Your name's Tooru, right? Help me look for water to put out the fire." When he doesn't immediately respond, I charge past him, grabbing onto his arm as I go and dragging him down the hall. "Let's split up. I trust you won't run, since Haise will also suffer if he gets caught in an inferno. Check all the floors for the bathrooms, or anything that might have running water still. That's unlikely, though….but we still have to check. Also keep an eye out for anything we can use to transport the water. Am I being clear?"

He nods and I turn to go my own way. "Um…" I glance back, waiting for him to continue. "Why didn't you shoot me?"

"Unimportant. Get going."

"W-what about a fire hydrant? There should be on the block somewhere."

I pause. "The problem with that is that we have no way of controlling that water if there is one. But if we can't find anything else, I'll go look for it and figure something out. Now go! You're wasting time! Everyone's going to be fried if we keep standing around like this!"

"Yes ma'am!" The frightened boy salutes before twirling and taking off in the opposite direction. I waste no more time myself, flying up the nearest staircase. At first, light from the fire down the hall slightly illuminates the stairs, but then I have to slow and tread carefully as not to fall. I try every door on the next floor up, not finding any restroom, so I ascend a second floor. This should be the fourth floor, and the top floor, I believe.

The first door proves fruitless. As I cross the hall to try another room, something pierces my foot. I let out a cry and trip back, hitting the ground with a thud. My right hand, which I'd used to catch myself since my left carries my gun, presses hard onto a serrated surface causing me to scream. Huffing, I lift my hand shakily to try to make out what it is. When I find I can't make out anything but the darkness of blood, I lift it closer to a nearby window. That's when something catches light in the dim light of the stars. It's glass.

Tears stream down my face as I carefully pry the few biggest pieces of window out of my palm. Unfortunately, I realize after setting down my gun to do so that I'm unable to find it again. I grit my teeth in frustration, but leave it. I can't afford the time to search for it; the smoke has already reached the top floor.

I have to remove the shard in my foot without taking off my shoe, since it's pierced through both the shoe and my skin. I work quietly and quickly, removing the bandages on my healed foot to reinforce the broken wrapping on the newly bleeding one. Once that's done, I painfully wedge the gorey foot back into its shoe and drag myself to my feet.

The coughing begins as soon as I'm upright, the smoke thick. I traverse carefully, sliding my feet forward instead of stepping to avoid skewering my feet on any more glass. I'm opening the third door of the floor when a boom wracks the building and causes me to lose my balance once again. This time I catch myself on a wall, but only by supporting myself with my injured hand. I choke down a howl of pain.

Judging by the abrupt increase in temperature and the new wave of smoke rolling up from the stairs, Suzuya must have used his second grenade. Is there even time to use water anymore if we find it? But searching seems better than running at this point, so I continue. The second to last door on the floor reveals what I'd been hoping for: a bathroom. Without time to waste, I clamber to the sink and quickly twist the faucet knob. Nothing comes out.

Damn it! I knew the building was old, but I'd hoped there was still at least running water. Then again, I have no clue how plumbing works. Maybe some of the water still works on the lower levels, and Tooru was able to find some. If he wasn't, maybe he's already left to find a fire hydrant.

I hack into my hand, the pain no longer the only reason my eyes water. I need to get out of here. Maybe a ghoul's lungs can handle this amount of smoke, but I can't take much more of it.

At first I begin to shuffle my feet back towards the stairs, but the smoke quickly becomes to unbearable to stay standing. I take to my knees. As I move forward, my hands carefully swipe out in front of me to clear any fragments of glass. More than once I miss a shard, and it ends up digging into my leg, but I push forward regardless. At this point I've given up trying to hold in my gasps of pain.

As I'm inching closer to the stairs, I notice a glow illuminating from the staircase. I gulp when I realize what it means. The fire has reached the stairs. I'm stuck. Forcing myself to move faster, I instead approach a window and pull myself to my feet to look out of it. Of course, I'm four stories up, and there's no fire escape to help me this time.

Well, if the fire's made it this far, that means Hanako's probably already fled the building. Surely the others had to leave, too, regardless of the fact that they were all fighting. I doubt Tooru abandoned Haise, but he likely was forced to leave when the fire became too much for him. I'm probably the only one in the building right now.

Good. Then I can give my entire focus to finding a way to escape.

I'm able to make out the floor now with the light of the approaching fire. With my sight returned to me, I quicken my pace and make my way down to the other end of the hall. Every room I pass I peek inside in want of a window, but only a few have them. When they do, I scurry over to check outside of them. Each time, though, there's nowhere to go from them except down. With every new window I check, my hope of there being a building near enough to cross over to dwindles.

Checking yet another broken window, I groan to find no way to climb safely out of it. I do, however, see flames groping out maniacally from the windows of the first two floors. If there was a way to lower myself from this floor to the third, since there doesn't seem to be fire in the room below me, I'd do it, but I just don't see a way. If I tried, I'd almost certainly fall even in my best condition. There's absolutely no chance of my success with me being cut up like I am.

Shoulders heaving from the coughing, I once again position myself to crawl. I move towards the door of the room.

 _creeeeaaak_

I freeze, one knee lifted in mid air. When the sound doesn't return, I lower the leg. It comes again.

 _creeeeeaaaaak_

That doesn't sound good. I resolve to leave this room as fast as possible. I hasten my crawl, the creaking growing louder and longer as I go, until a different noise makes my heart stop.

 _CRACK_

I let out a shriek when the floor suddenly gives out beneath me.

* * *

So yeah, there was a bit of a cliffhanger last chapter, but this one's probably worse. Sorry about that, guys. Anyway, I should probably warn you that the end is nigh! Of this story, of course. Not the world. That would be bad. Anyway, I didn't want you guys to be startled when I up and finish it, because that has happened in a few of my previous stories. So yeah. The end is nigh, but we've got a few chapters left still. Look forward to it!

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	23. Decision in Fire

So this chapter is a bit short, but I thought it inappropriate to add anymore than what was here. This scene deserved the isolation of its own chapter. I think you'll agree when you read it. I think I wrote this one well enough, but considering how important it it, I'm still a tad worried about whether I did an adequate job. Fingers crossed I pulled it off!

I present to you chapter 23 of Mockingbird.

* * *

 _Unbearable! The heat is unbearable!_

But wait...there's something else besides heat. Scratch that. There's a _lot_ else. My hands, my legs…. _my legs_.

The past few seconds flood back to me as I pry open my watery eyes. I must've blacked out when I fell, but now that I'm regaining awareness, I can't help but pay attention to how acute the pain in my leg is. My arms scrape on jagged edges of wood, but I manage to lift myself up enough to glance back at my legs. What I see triggers my gag reflex.

One of my legs is trapped, if not crushed, but it's the other that sickens me. As if the glass stabbing my foot earlier wasn't enough anguish, this time, splintered wood has pierced the fatty part on the back of my left leg, digging into it more every time I shift even slightly.

I clench my fingers into fists. My mouth opens to scream, but the agony of the sight and feel proves strangulating. I can't move. There's no way I'll be able to free myself like this, and if I can't free myself, then the fire…

Oh, god! Oh god, oh god, oh _god_! I'm going to die!

But I can't! Right? I've got so much of my life to live! I just turned eighteen! I'm not even a legal adult yet in this country! I promised Mom I wouldn't let anyone dear to her die! And I have to make sure Hanako got out okay!

But if...if I could shoot that first little girl so easily….if I could kill her when she was so young, then why not? Why do I deserve to live any more than she does? And what about that adulterous couple? Sure, they weren't young, or innocent, but they were human lives! And look at how quickly, how simply I snuffed them out. I might've had a reason, but if I die right here, right now, then what's the difference? We'd all be corpses!

I bury my face in my hands. So this is it. I only have until the fire gets to me. If this is what it comes to, then what was the point of the past month? Did I really kill three people just for a day of seeing Hanako again? I'm horrible! To choose a day over the lives of three others! And I'd been so resolved when I did it, too! I thought it'd all be worth it, no matter how selfish, just as long as I could meet her again, but if this is it, then….

But she probably got out just fine, right? At least she's safe, yeah? And Haise will make sure Mom is treated right. With any luck, she'll be released quickly. Hanako won't make any contact with her unneededly, so they'll find no more evidence to incriminate her with and lose reason to keep her. Even if I'm not there the two of them will be fine!

Of course, I was all Mom had...after dad abandoned her...and if Hanako hadn't had me back when her only parent was caught by the doves, who knows how long it would have taken for her to get over her depression? But then again, wasn't it my fault he got caught in the first place? If Hanako hadn't had to protect me, she wouldn't have released her kagune, and people might've never figured out she was a ghoul, and her dad might never have been found!

Then was I the one who caused her all of this pain? Is it my fault? All those nights she spent crying by herself...that was my fault? How could I have done that to her? Maybe it's for the best if I die. Neither she nor Mom will have to worry about me anymore. Yeah, it'll be okay.

It's okay if I disappear here.

"You seem to be a crier, I've noticed."

I stiffen, then hack into my hands. Once the fit has passed, I point my watering eyes upwards. I then startle when I see what appears to be none other than the grim reaper looming above me. Then I register the piercings glittering in the wavering light of the fire, the tattoos swirling about his bare arms, and the familiar half head of hair pulled back away from his face. He leans down in front of me, looking me in the eye.

"You look like you've gotten yourself into quite the predicament."

Unsure if he's real or a hallucination, I don't respond and just gape at the ghoul.

"Were you even going to try to get out? It almost looks like you've given up."

It takes a piece of burning wood to fall from the ceiling to snap me from my stupor. Even then, I find I can only manage four words. "M-My leg. I can't."

He cocks his head, waiting. "Aren't you going to ask me for help?"

Ask him for help? There's no way he's actually here, right? Why would he be? He's got no way of knowing I'd be here. Even if he did, there's no way he'd risk the fire just to come and fetch a human like me. He's not the type to throw himself at possible death….I think….well, actually, I could see it. But he still wouldn't bother with me. Even if he isn't afraid of danger, he's not the type to get involved. So he must not actually be here. He must be an illusion.

"Why him?" I mumble under my breath. "Of all the people I could be seeing right now, why him?" Hanako couldn't possibly have been right about me liking him, but….

"Kiyoko, do you plan on dying here?"

I once again bury my head in my hands. "What choice do I have? I can't get out like this! I'm probably already dying from blood loss or something, if I'm hallucinating."

"Do you think I'm a hallucination?"

I can't help but laugh out loud at that, but the laughter gets cut off abruptly by a cough. "Of course you are. Why would you ever bother coming all this way for me?"

"I see. So you're prepared to die here."

"Guess so," I sniff.

"But you're scared."

I lift my head. "Of course I am! I'm terrified! I'm not ready, but then, who is? I'm sure Chisa wasn't ready to die when I shot her! How is this any different?"

"You have the choice to survive. She didn't."

"A choice? Just shut up. Go away. I don't want to hear it. I'm resigned _because_ I have no choice! So stop trying to make me hopeful! It'll just make it more painful when I die!"

"I can't leave."

"Sure you can. You're only an illusion."

"I can't leave because you're crying."

I gulp, hands quivering as I reach up to wipe the wetness from my cheeks. "There, there's proof you're nothing more than my imagination. Uta, you'd never say something like that."

"You're the one who kissed me, Kiyoko."

I groan. "Why must you remind me when I'm at death's door?"

"Why must you be so adamant that it's your time?" he returns.

"Because it _is_ ," I growl. This hallucination just _has_ to be as infuriatingly unfazeable as the real thing! "There's no way I could stand the pain of pulling the beam out of my leg, no way I could walk with that injury, and no way I could get past the fire on this floor to get outside! I'm just done!"

"But if you could get out, would you?"

"I can't!"

"Would you?"

"Do you even need to ask?" I huff.

"So you want to live?"

"Stop asking already! Stop trying to make me waver! I may not be ready, but I'm resolved! Leave me be, Uta!"

" _Do you want to live?_ "

I clap my hands over my ears, the sudden motion yanking my speared leg and eliciting a cry from my mouth. "Uta, please!"

My muscles tense when gentle hands pry my hands from my head. He can touch me? How far gone am I that my hallucination can touch me?

"Kiyoko," he persists, his voice lacking the urgency one would normally have, "there isn't much time for you to decide. The fire is close, so tell me if you want to live. If you want to die, then I will leave you. Just know that burning alive is one of the worse ways to go."

"Christ, Uta! _I don't want to die, alright_?"

"Then let's prevent that."

"Uta, just-" My breath catches when he grabs me under the arms and begins to lift. Pain bolts through my leg and my breath is shoved out from me with a scream. My tears flow harder, which I hadn't thought possible, as the wood rips back through the tendon. The agony makes me dizzy as he settles me into his arms, made worse by the coughing fit the smoke in my lungs invokes. Black spots swim in my vision as I struggle to make out Uta's face as he begins to walk. He doesn't even look at me.

It vaguely occurs to me as I gasp for breath that there's no way a hallucination could carry me, but the thought barely manages to cross my mind before the world goes dark.

* * *

So? What'd you think? Did I pull it off? I spent a loooong time on the conversation...heck, I spent a ton of time on this _entire_ chapter. Strange how so much time can be poured into such a short chapter. So, the end is coming. I'm sure I told you this last chapter, but I really mean it! I've warned you, so please don't be surprised! Ah, but I'm nervous. I'm nervous about how you guys'll receive the ending. It felt like an ending to me, so I ended it there, but originally I'd actually planned a whole other chapter after the next one. So many emotions! We'll just have to see how it plays out when the time comes!

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! MEOW!


	24. Laughter

So this is the last chapter. Somehow I just felt like it was done after this. If you guys feel like it ended prematurely, pray tell, and I'll maybe think about writing another chapter to wrap things up more clearly. So...this has been fun! Honestly when started writing this, I had no clue where it was going, but it turned out pretty good, yeah? It's been a lot of fun! I sincerely hope you all have liked it as much as I have!

So with great pleasure, I present to you the final chapter of Mockingbird!

* * *

"...are we supposed to do this? A human leg doesn't just heal!"

"We can't bring in a human doctor."

"Isn't there a ghoul doctor that deals with humans? Surely Aogiri knows a few."

"It's not like we have them on call. This is all we can do for now. Hopefully the guy you brought will have done it well enough to keep her alive."

"But what if she can't keep her leg?"

"There's nothing to be done about that if it happens."

"Goddammit! Everyone's so useless!"….That's Hanako's voice….and Ayato's?

"It's your fault for leaving her in there."

"I didn't know!" Hanako snarls. "I thought she ran, like any sensible human would! I literally saw her run out with that dove that was drooling in the doorway while his buddy fought me! How was I supposed to know she was still inside?"

"I told you to keep an eye on her."

"What would you have had me do!?"

"She's awake." The words a third voice contributes cause me to flinch. How did he know? Caught, I have no choice but to force open my eyes against the sunlight. What meets me when they open is the recovery house for Aogiri's members, and three ghouls. I'd been right about it being Hanako and Ayato. Hanako sits on her knees beside where I lay, her teeth clenched anxiously, while Ayato leans against the wall opposite with his hands stuffed in his pockets. I know the owner of the third voice before I even find him in the room. Uta sits crisscross in a corner not too far from where I am on the floor, watching me with his usual black and red eyes.

I return his stare until Hanako asks, "Well? How're you feeling?"

I roll my head to see her. At first I don't answer, mentally accounting for all the aching parts of my body. Bandages restrict my palms and fingers, and open burns sting against the chilled fresh air. The most concerning thing, though, would be my leg that's stuck inside a cast.

"I-" I swallow a cough. My throat still feels like crap from the smoke. "I've been better."

"You've sounded better, too," she grimaces. "You idiot! Why didn't you run when you saw the fire? You could have died in there if Uta hadn't found you!" My throat hurts too much to give a proper response, so I just sit without a sound as she scolds me.

"Just be thankful she's _not_ dead," Ayato interrupts.

"This is why I didn't want you involved in all this, Kiyoko!"

"You're the one who brought her along."

"Shut up Ayato!"

"Why am I even here?"

"Because….I don't know! Why _are_ you here?"

I choke on my laughter. When both of them have stopped to watch me, I coerce words out of my scratchy throat. "I get it, Hanako. I'll be more careful in the future. And thank you for being here, Ayato."

"Future?" Hanako crosses her arms. "I don't think I plan on letting you come in the future."

"I'm not a child," I insist gruffly.

"A human in a ghoul's world is as good as a child. It was wrong of me to bring a child to a warzone." I scoff, shaking my head, but I can't bring myself to speak any more than I already have.

To my surprise, Uta pipes up. "Would a helpless child risk her own life like she did? If she is indeed the equivalent of a child, she is certainly one that can be trusted with the dangers of an 'adult' world."

This earns a glare from my friend. "Says the one who paraded her around to ghoul gatherings where she could've easily been discovered and eaten!"

"You think any would have dared make a meal of her when she accompanied me?"

"Oh I can think of one or two who'd love the thrill!"

"But do you think any of them would succeed against me?" This finally convinces her to fall silent. "Please don't blame me for helping when she wanted help."

"Great help you were," she grumbles. She turns her glare to the ground in thought. Then, after a second, her eyes snap up and lock with Uta's "Wait a second. I know you 'helped' her, but how exactly did you do it? You did more than just drag her out to parties, didn't you?"

I twitch, Uta closing his eyes. "I gave her connections," he treads carefully.

"And?"

My eyes flick from her, to Uta, to Ayato, anxious. Her voice has deepened and a growl is growing from the depths of her throat. Her eyes pulsate, black spreading and dilating like the pumping of a heart.

"And?" Uta repeats, seemingly unsurprised when he opens his eyes to see hers alternating colors.

"Before she left the room we were in," she hisses slowly, "Kiyoko told me….that she had killed someone before. She told me...that she could kill the doves, because she'd killed a person before. That was your doing! _Wasn't it_?"

I touch my throat, cursing its roughness and my inability to defend him. What do I do? How can I calm her down?

"What do you mean, my doing?"

"The Kiyoko I know would never have taken a life! Of course you coerced her into it! Just admit it!"

"So you can attempt to rip out my throat? I'm not idiot enough to say that when you're in such a state, Hanako."

"Hanako." I wince at the sting my voice causes, having finally found something to say. "Hanako, I was the one who decided to pull the trigger. He allowed me the choice not to, so he...is blameless. It's my fault for shooting her. It's my fault I took a life. If...if there's someone to be angry with, it's me."

She's suddenly on her hands and knees, snarling at me, her eyes settled into their infuriated black and red. "You don't get it! I'm not angry at you for killing someone! I'm fucking horrified you had to do that! I'm _angry_ at the one who put you in that position! And I'm right in thinking that it was _him_!"

"Hanako, please!"

She stiffens when I beg, her eyebrow twitching in confusion. "Why are you protecting him? Aren't you upset? Surely you blame him for doing this to you!"

I look her straight in the eye. "He only made me what I asked him to make me."

She gnashes her teeth, then suddenly retracts and curls in on herself. "I didn't want this!" she hisses. "I didn't want to drag you down to my level!"

"Hana-"

"NO! You don't understand! The last thing I wanted to do was ruin you! How could I have let this happen?"

"Hanako, stop it!" I grab her arm, flinching when pain shocks my hand. "I did this to myself! You are _not_ to blame!"

"I'm sure," she agrees, bitterly sarcastic. "Just how I'm not to blame for my dad."

"You aren't! It was me! If I hadn't been there, it would have never happened! He never would have died! So please! Hate me! Just stop thinking it's all your fault!"

"It is!" she snarls, ripping out of my grasp. "I should have been able to protect you! I thought I'd learned my lesson after I failed to protect him, but then we just had to run into doves, and you nearly died! If I can't protect you, I'm going to end up killing you, too, Kiyoko!" My heart tightens when a tear streaks down my best friend's enraged face. "It's why I left! I should have never let you find me!"

My fists clench painfully, wanting to reach out to her, but she's out of my reach. I can't move an inch with my leg wrapped up like this!

"Um…"

My eyes flicker towards the door of the room before returning to Hanako. Then my brain processes the person standing there, and my eyes fly back to him in astonishment. Haise stands in the doorway. His demeanor is awkward, shifting from foot to foot and his eyes never really seeming to settle, but I actually can't find a hint of fear in him. Why is he here? Does he...does he know everyone here's a ghoul? He certainly knows Hanako is, but what about the other two? And why is he in Aogiri's recovery house in the first place? Did one of them bring him here for some reason?

He clears his throat. "If I may say something, Hanako," he begins. "I'm sorry if this sounds...strange...coming from a ghoul investigator, but I hope you consider this advice. People are difficult to care for by yourself. From what I've gathered, you've done well to protect Kiyoko for as long as you've known her. I'm sure you've done better protecting your loved ones than I've ever been able to, although I admit I can't remember most of my life. What I'm trying to say is, for looking after her on your own, you've done a good job. It might not have been perfect, but no one can be perfect. But look around you." He nods to Uta, motioning to Ayato. "You've got help now. Those two wouldn't be here if they weren't willing to help, right? The same goes for me. If you're willing to listen to the advice of someone like me, then I think things will be better from now on. Where you maybe failed to protect her before, the others can pick up the slack."

"Hey now," Ayato interjects, his tone as irritated as it usually is. "What do you mean, 'pick up the slack'?"

Haise laughs nervously. "Haha, was I too presumptuous?"

"Just watch what you say, human."

"My apologies."

Ignoring the oddness of his being here for now, I turn back to Hanako. "He's right, Hanako! And we can always count on Touka, too! Hell, I'm probably in the best position any human could be in right now! I've got two ghouls from Aogiri looking after me, a clown, and even a ghoul investigator from the other side! And if it weren't for you, I would've never met anyone here! Hanako, please don't get so down on yourself! Not when I've got so much to thank you for!"

"Why are you humans so optimistic?" she hisses. Even as she says this, though, the tension in her seems to ease.

"We're optimistic to balance your pessimism," I smile, searching for a smile in return. She sees this and obstinately refuses to give me what I want. Feeling it best to let this soak in for her, I decide to change the topic. "So, is anyone going to explain why Haise is here? I mean I'm glad he was here to help calm her down, but he's a _little_ out of place, if you know what I mean."

"I brought him," Hanako mumbles, her gaze flickering to him. "We were still near each other when Uta called me about you, and we needed a human to tend to you. None of us are exactly experts on how the human body heals."

"Imagine my surprise when she suddenly started dragging me to some unknown place, threatening to kill me if I made any move against her," Haise chuckles. "She didn't even have her bikaku out to fight with!"

"That's enough outta you!" Hanako snaps, baring her teeth at the dove.

Still smiling, Haise replies, "Yes ma'am."

I hide a giggle behind my hand. Who would've thought the two of them would get along like this? Weren't they just fighting a little while ago? Haise's attitude isn't all that surprising, but we all know Hanako's aversion for investigators, and yet here she is practically bantering with him! As I'm trying to hide the delight in my face, my gaze meets with Uta's and my face begins to boil. I quickly avert my eyes, opting to look at the ground.

Wait, why am I reacting like this? I should thank him. He was the one who got me out of the fire, even if I did just believe him to be an illusion at the time. It's not like I said anything embarrassing back then, right? I don't think I said anything like that. But then again….my memory of him finding me is a tiny bit hazy. Oh, I hope I didn't blurt out something stupid!

"Y-you're the one who rescued me, right?" I start, begging myself mentally not to stutter like a lovestruck preteen. Why now? I've never had trouble speaking to him before. "I can't thank you enough for that. Honestly, I never thought you'd care enough to go out of your way to save me."

"Don't thank me," Uta tells me, uncrossing his legs and standing. He lowers himself again when he's next to me. Surprised, I make the mistake of glancing up. Our eyes meet and I find myself unable to look away, even though my face grows hotter. "I only saved you because I had something to return to you."

I blink. "Something to return? What's tha-"

He presses his lips to mine and my eyes widen. It only lasts a few seconds, but that's enough for me to spot Ayato and Haise glancing away, the latter blushing, and Hanako frozen where she sits a few feet away.

When he pulls back, my hands fly up to cover my mouth. He smirks. Then he stands and returns to his corner, as casual as if he had just gotten up to hand me something he'd borrowed. For a second, time seems to have frozen.

And then Hanako lunges into action, practically breathing fire at the ghoul who just kissed me as she demands answers for what just happened. Too overwhelmed, I lay back down on my side and drape an arm over my eyes and ear. Hanako shakes me violently in an attempt to get me back up, only to be stopped by Haise who points out my injuries.

As I lay there, clearly not asleep, I can't keep my laughter off my lips. What I'm laughing at? …..who knows? I definitely don't. I just know that I'm laughing, and that it feels damn good.

* * *

 **The End**

TADA! And with that, it's all wrapped up! Normally I'd now tell you how I've always pictured my character and mention how some other people saw them, but this is the first time I haven't left the character's appearance up to personal interpretation. I'll probably return to doing that next fanfiction, but I'm still debating whether to do Attack on Titan or Yona of the Dawn, so it might be a little time before my next story comes out. If you have a preference for which one I write about, leave a comment! I also want to work on some of my non-fanfiction ideas. Also, I typically give a shout out to someone who commented a lot, but this time I had a whole slew of you commenting rather than a few serial commenters. So, instead I'll mention a returnee I've noticed. Lot's of love to winddemon199! It's great to see you again! And with that I'll wrap this up!

Till next time, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


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